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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22414903">The Break</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/slyodalucifer/pseuds/slyodalucifer'>slyodalucifer</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Stars Without Numbers</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Action/Adventure, Blood, F/F, Gore</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 15:21:40</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>24,982</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22414903</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/slyodalucifer/pseuds/slyodalucifer</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The story of my character from my Stars Without Numbers campaign. This can also be an AU for my previous fic “Artemis”.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Original Female Character/Original Female Character</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 1: The Escape </p><p>~On A Stormy Planet Somewhere In the sector~</p><p>“S-Sir, I would not advise rushing the experiment through this week!” A clinical voice cautioned. </p><p>The office room the scientist was standing in was cloaked in darkness. Save for a solitary light on a desk lightening up paperwork and the occasional lightening flashes from the storm outside. With each flash of lightening a figure stood silhouetted against the glass. During one flash the figure was facing the raging storm outside, the next he had turned, facing the scientist. </p><p>“I could care less about the risks, the fact of the matter is that we have a deadline to meet”  The mans voice was stern and commanding, lacking any potential waver in tone. </p><p>“I-I understand that perfectly, sir. B-but if we rush we could cause a set back, one that could take weeks to fix.” Replied the scientist, not scared of the man before him, well not entirely. He was one of the finest scientists the company had at it’s disposal. His position was secure, but the way the man spoke, it could run a chill down even a trained soldiers spine.</p><p>“Let me remind you, we are already behind said deadline.” The man spoke again, having moved to sit down at his desk with one hand showing itself underneath the light. </p><p>“B-But S-S-Sir...” The scientist stammered, taking a step forward to try and plead his case better. But unknowingly overstepping his bounds. </p><p>“MEET. THE. DEADLINE!” The man replied, rising from his chair with enough force to send it back a few feet. “I don’t care how, I just want it DONE!” </p><p>The scientist shrinked back to his original position and with a down cast gaze, not daring to meet the eyes of the higher up, not that he could actually see them. After a few seconds silence casted a secondary shadow over the room as the two stood there, only lightly broken by a crack of thunder. The sound of a button being pressed and the whooshing of a door behind the scientist ended it completely. </p><p>“This conversation is over.” The man declared. </p><p>“Yes Sir.” The scientist conceded, turning around with some hesitation and walking out of the room to inform the rest of the staff. </p><p>~ A Day later ~ </p><p>“Subject 183, step out of your cell.” Called a voice from the intercom. </p><p>A lonely soul inside the cell slowly rose, arms bound with cuffs connected together at the wrists by magnets. Feet chained together by a solid link of unbreakable metal chains. Two guards entered the room, grabbing the subject by the arms, eliciting a growl of anger from it. The growl was low and mechanical, as if being emitted by a speaker or synthesizer. The sound is startling, causing the guards to let go and settle with just jabbing her in the side with the barrels of their rifles, coaxing her to step out of the cell. Stopping outside of the cell, the subject is face to face with a scientist. </p><p>“Follow me to the operating room.” The scientist commands before turning and walking down the hall. The subject doesn’t move, she doesn’t want to, but she has two as she’s shoved forward by one of the guards. </p><p>With a gradual push every couple of feet, they walk down the hallway, following the scientist at a distance. The whole time the subject keeps her head down, eyes scanning the floor, not daring to look at the windows opposite of the walls on her left. A hand grabs her by the shoulder, it’s one of the guards, stopping her at the door to the operating room. The door, made of glass, slid open and the two guards shoved her inside.</p><p>“183, step up to the operating table and place your arms into the the shackles” Commands one of the two scientists in the room, as he idly prepares equipment for the operation and the shackles around the subjects wrists release from each other. </p><p>The subject, doing as instructed, placed her hands inside the shackles, magnetically locking her wrists as her hands wrap around handlebars. Her feet locked down as she placed them in the footholds of the table. </p><p>“You may leave.” The scientist ordered, waving away the two guards, who follow the order and move to step outside of the room. Assuming a guarding stance outside the door to ensure the procedure goes undisturbed. </p><p>As they leave the room, the two scientists begin setting up for the procedure. The subject hated these tests, they were invasive and loud, and more often than not she was treated like an animal rather than a patient. They would push her to her limits and some times conduct pain tests with synthetic nervous system prototypes. The scientist to her left leaned over her and started to remove her face mask. </p><p>However, before they could get it off the room goes black and a loud explosion shaking the lower sections of the building. Outside a lightening bolt, from the storm that had been battering the facility for days, had struck the generators. Causing them to overload and explode. </p><p>“D-David?” Called one scientist to another through the darkness. </p><p>“Felix?” David replied. </p><p>“Are...Are you alright?” Felix asked, frightened by the sudden power outage. </p><p>“Yeah I’m alright. That was probably the generator, god damnit!” David grumbled, they were already behind and couldn’t afford another major set back. A few seconds later the buildings automated voice came over the speakers. </p><p>“Main power supply disabled, rerouting to backup generator, interior equipment reset required. Reseting all systems.” </p><p>A mechanical clicking sound then echoes through the room, both of them knew what that sound was, the locks to the operation table shackles. The sound of metal feet touching the floor followed next. A sense of dread washed over both the scientists as they knew the subject was free. Seconds later the red emergency lights flipped on and Felix was startled by the 6’ 7” figure standing to his side staring down at him with clenched fists. In a second she had the man by the head and lifted him up off the floor, letting his legs dangle and kick in fear.</p><p>“N-No! Please no! AHHHHHH!” </p><p>Felix let out a scream of terror as she slowly pushed her fingers into his eyes. Blood began to squirt from his eye sockets, splattering onto her frame and mask. Felix kicked and screamed as the mechanical fingers cracked bone pushing deeper and entering his brain. Blood leaked from his eyeless holes, dripping down his cheek and onto his lab coat. </p><p>A sinister laugh leaves the cyborgs mouth as removed her fingers and held his head with one hand. She then began slamming his head into the operating table repeatedly. splatting blood all over herself and onto the table. Hit after hit, she slammed his head until it became nothing but unrecognizable mush. </p><p>David is paralyzed with fear at the scene before him and stumbles back as the body of his colleague dropped to the floor with a thud. Shifting her focus to David, the cyborg slowly strode around the table, her fingers dipping into the shallow pool of blood on the operating table. Flinging blood and brain matter at David’s face with a flick, causing him to recoil in fear. </p><p>“Isn’t this what you wanted?” She whispers, crouching down in front of him. “A killer? A freak?” </p><p>The scientist is too paralyzed with fear to answer her. Her attention is brought to the door as she hears the guards shooting out the glass doors in order to get to the scientist. Standing up she treads to the get in line with the door, using the twitch lock actuators in her legs she charges at the door. </p><p>Crashing through the glass and slamming into one of the guards, sending him into the wall and knocking him out. The other guard turned to fire at her but she grabs the barrel of his rifle and directs it towards his friend, filling his body with bullets as he continued to fire. </p><p>He realized his mistake as the cyborg raises her hand and shocks the man using Eelskin mesh on her hands, delivering lethal doses of electricity to his body, causing him to convulse before falling to the floor. She crouched down and began to loot his body, taking the tactical rig with all of the ammo and the rifle slung around the soldiers neck. </p><p>Strapping the gear around her frame and slinging the rifle over her shoulder. She removed the side arm holster from around the troopers thigh and attached it to her own. Standing up she turned back to the operating room and stepped back inside, looking for the scientist. </p><p>She wasn’t done with him. </p><p>“Ohhhh David. Come out, come out wherever you are.” The cyborg strolled through the room she searched behind every table and every nook for him. Finally she peers behind the right one, causing David to scream and desperately crawl away. </p><p>“There you are!” She chuckled maniacally to herself as she quickly caught up to him, grabbing at his collar and using it to drag him along the floor. “I’m not done with you, there’s something you need to see.” </p><p>Dragging him out into the hallway and setting the man up on on his feet, so both of them faced the window. It had been so long since the cyborg had seen her own reflection, the thing that she had become disgusted her. The entirety of her body was replaced with a combination of synthetic and metal material.</p><p>On her face was a mask, that resembled a human skull, with the lower jaw being attached to the upper by a few connecting pieces that were spaced out. Like a person whose mouth was sown together and they were screaming to open it. Her eyes were replaced with photoreceptors that glowed a dark orange. She could see it in all it’s mechanical horror, but David couldn’t, his eyes were closed as tight as they could. </p><p>“Look, isn’t this what you wanted? A hideous mechanical freak?” She growled, growing increasingly irritated that he wouldn’t witness what he had created.<br/>
“LOOK AT ME!” </p><p>Hesitantly he opened his eyes and felt a shiver runs down his spine as he’s forced to look at the monster he created. The way her eyes glowed ominously against darkness of the storm outside. How the blood from his colleague dripped down her frame and onto the floor. It was terrifying, it would be a miracle if he made it out alive. The cyborg raised her fist and then brought it down on the scientist’s face, knocking him to the ground. </p><p>“You think it’s fun, give them so called ‘once in a life time benefits’, well tell me how this is a fucking benefit!” She screamed with pure rage lacing her voice. Raising the man up by his collar and slamming her fist into the wall leaving a fist size dent in the metal. </p><p>“I look like a fucking freak! You took everything from me! EVERYTHING!” </p><p>The cyborg threw David into a nearby wall with a great deal of force, dazing him. Pulling the pistol from her newly acquired holster, she raised the handgun with one hand, aiming for Davids chest. Finger on the trigger, she pulled, firing a round into the mans chest. The sudden pain causing the scientist to shrivel up, unfortunately for him the cyborg was far from done, as she fired again and again. Each bullet leaving the chamber while she stood unnerved by her actions, firing until the clip emptied. By that time the man was already dead, lying lifeless in a pool of his own blood. </p><p>Ejecting the mag from the handgun and pulling a fresh one from the pouches of her holster, she loaded it into the gun. With the click of the new clip, the alarms for the building began to blare their obnoxious tune. Meaning the security system would be up and running, and the camera feeds would be able to see the carnage she had caused. </p><p>“Time to go.” </p><p>She raised her rifle towards the glass and pulling the trigger to fire several rounds and weaken the integrity. The cyborg then used her actuator to get a burst of speed Allowing her to smash through the glass, and begin a free fall to the bottom floor of the building. Using her optics to scan for targets she eyed five Silver Lining security personnel. She used her body to position herself above one of the guards, intending to use him as a landing pad. </p><p>Using her rifle mid air the cyborg let out a burst of gunfire, laying out two of the five guards. Then positioning her feet to land on the third guards back, crushing his spine in the process. With the third guard on ground she transitioned into a roll to pad out the rest of the fall’s force. Kicking out the leg of the fourth guard so he fell, then she fired three rounds into the fifth, before standing and finishing the fourth. </p><p>With the group dealt with she turned her attention towards the motor pool, spotting a Silver Lining guard stepping out of the driver seat of a Leopard. An all terrain buggy built for hostile environments, equipped with an automated heavy machine on the back. </p><p>“Hands! Show me your hands!” She commanded, catching the man off guard as she placed her barrel inches from his face. </p><p>Eyeing over the man’s facial features, he appears to be young, maybe early to mid twenties. He’s practically shaking in his boots, clearly not a seasoned soldier. She feels the need to pull the trigger but she just can’t, he’s just a kid. </p><p>“Keys. Give them to me, slowly. No funny business.” She ordered placing out her hand waiting for the item. With shaky arms the kid pulls the keys out from the pocket in his tactical rig and places it in the cyborgs hand. </p><p>“Name?” She questioned</p><p>“W-What?” He replied, confused but still riddled with fear. To alleviate some of the terror she lowered her weapon. </p><p>“What’s your name?” She asked again. </p><p>“M-Matthew.” He answered this time, as the cyborg grabbed him by the vest and moved him to the side so she could step into the Leopard. </p><p>“Okay Matthew, go open the gate for me.” The guard looked at her bewildered, he probably expected to be shot after handing the keys. She looked back to him after placing the keys in the ignition, whipping out her pistol and pointing it at him. “Don’t stand there, move it!” </p><p>Without needing to be told twice the guard runs to the gate controls and fiddles with the pane until finally opening the gate. With her exit as clear as day, the cyborg threw the vehicle into gear and put her metal foot to the peddle. As she peeled out of the motor pool and onto the rough road leading to the base, a group of guards bursted from the front door, and began firing at her vehicle. The low calibre of the weapons did nothing to the armor so they gave up quickly and loaded up into the other leopards to chase her.  </p><p>“Fuck, I forgot how persistent we can be!” She exclaimed, throwing her head back onto the head rest in annoyed fashion. Raising her hand and using her Eelskin mesh in order to override the lock on the auto turret. </p><p>The turret beeps into action and turns with mechanical precision, searching the pursing vehicle for targets. Locating a driver and passenger, the cyborg ordering the turret to focus the passenger to prevent return fire. The gun unleashes a bullet hose of fire, some rounds bounded off the armor of the Leopard while some collided with the bullet proof glass.</p><p>The glass managed to stop the initial spray allowing the passenger enough time to activate the turret, but failed to stop the follow up. The glass shattered and the soldiers body was torn apart in his seat as the large calibre of the machine gun took small chunks out of him. The return fire caused several rounds to skip past the driver’s seat. </p><p>“Come on!” She yelled right as the turret fired again, this time the rounds penetrating the armor of the Leopard. Nearly slicing through the cyborgs left leg, she only had a second to process the impact before the second barrage came. This time the turret focused on the tire of the her Leopard, making short work of the bullet proof material as the bullets sliced through. </p><p>“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She cursed as the rim dug into the ground and then hit a large rock. Causing the vehicle to flip and roll, rolling end over end several times before coming to stop upside down just a few dozen feet from the edge of the a cliff. </p><p>The pursuing vehicle slowed to a skidding  halt as, once stopped the remaining guard squad stepped out. Then proceeded to the back where the gear was stowed, pulling out a high explosive rocket and a launcher. The time for retrieval was over, they couldn’t risk the subject escaping so the only viable option now, was termination. </p><p>The cyborg slowly came out of her dazed state and began to dig her hands into the muddy ground. Crawling her way out from under the vehicle and standing herself up, using the vehicle for leverage. Just before a loud hissing sound followed by and explosion. </p><p>The force of the explosion sent the cyborg tumbling across the ground and over the edge. Now freefalling down a cliff as her body was bombarded by rocks, one after the other. Until finally hitting the ground with a hard thump, that would’ve broken any normal humans back.</p><p>The rain slowly splashed onto her back as she tried to make some feeble attempt to get up. But her body was to badly damaged, her legs wouldn’t move no matter how hard she tried, her arm were jammed and couldn’t articulate. The worst of all was that her main systems were failing and entering a total shut down in order to protect itself. </p><p>The last thing the cyborg saw before her vision blacked out was a bright flash of light, almost like a search light. </p><p>Then everything faded. </p><p>~end~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Memories</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 2: Memories</p><p>Green eyes squinted as an elevator opened to the living quarters of the facility. Boots stepped out into the hallway, a female no older than twenty-six, wore them. Her hair was tied in a ponytail with long bangs dangling in front of right eye and it was black in color. Her body was covered in a combat uniform, body armor made of thick metal but remarkably light plates. </p><p>The thighs and shins were covered in a lighter material that allowed for ease of movement, while not sacrificing too much protection. The woman’s arms were wrapped in padding to protect from falls and to slow down lower calibre rounds. </p><p>“God, would it kill them to dim the lights in this place?” Came a whine as she raised her cybernetic hand to block out the near blinding white light that ran along the hallway. “It’s like I’m staring at a fucking star.” </p><p>“You’ve been at this station for how many months, Alex?” Commented a man walking beside her as they made their way to the dinning hall. </p><p>“Fuck if I know, Marcus.” Alex replied, metal fingers rubbing at her chin as she really tried to guess how long she’d been stationed at the facility. </p><p>It had to be more than three months, closer to six than three, so at least five? That sounded about right to her, she’d known Marcus for roughly two and a half by now, and she had gotten her new arms roughly a month into her assignment. Yeah five months was definitely right, lowering her hand as she came to her conclusion she let it rest on her sniper rifle that was slung around her neck to rest in front of her chest</p><p>“Long enough for you to have to think about it, so long enough for you to get over it.” Marcus said with a chuckle, earning a glare from Alice. </p><p>“Always an asshole, I’m surprised the major hasn’t wrung your neck for your smart ass comments.” Alex scoffed before jabbing the man in the shoulder pad. </p><p>As they approached the dinning hall, the automatic doors slid open. Everyone in the unit was pretty familiar with one another, so the second they stepped in everyone greeted them. Alex just waved casually and made her way past the tables and the rest of her friends, but someone caught her eye just as she passed them. </p><p>Major Vale, commander of their unit at the facility, she was remarkably pretty for being thirty-two, and having seen her fair share of combat. Her physique was also something to marvel at, the arms that could be seen due to her tank top had a good deal of muscle. A feature that didn’t appear in only her arms, she was strong and sported scars across her body, from cuts and bullet holes to small burns. Alex was built roughly the same but she regularly lost to Vale in arm wrestling. </p><p>Rank wasn’t the only thing that separated them. </p><p>“Major.” Alex said impulsively with a head nod due to being a lower rank and because she held high respect for her among...other things. </p><p>“Lieutenant.” Vale replied with a like wise nod, before taking a bite out of an apple and laying back in her chair while kicking her feet up onto the table. “How was patrol?” </p><p>The question didn’t really register with Alex because she had started to pick out her meal from the kitchen. A steak with mashed potatoes and broccoli, taking the tray to the heater and placing it in. After heating the food she turned around to room that had all their attention direct at her. </p><p>“What?” Alex asked, pausing in the middle of stuffing a chunk of mashed potatoes in her mouth. </p><p>“Jesus Alex, you think you’d be able to answer a question from some one that you ogle over all the time.” Marcus quipped as he chuckled to himself. As what he said clicked in her head she gave him an annoyed look while a blush washed over her face. Vale’s chewing came to a slow stand still as she looked to Alex </p><p>“S-Sorry Major...errr...what was the question?” Alex stuttered, doing her best to avoid direct eye contact knowing her blush was clear as day, there was no denying it. </p><p>“How was the patrol, Alex?” Vale repeated, still staring at the shy sniper with one arm crossed, the apple being held up in the other topped off a slightly raised eyebrow. Alex’s body stiffened at the use of her name by the major. </p><p>“It....went...uh pretty normal, nothing unusual to report.” The lieutenant replied, before diverting her vision to the floor while the Major looked her over. </p><p>“I see.” The Major said quietly, too occupied with getting a good read on her best sniper. Alex was by far the best shot and could easily hit a target at a hundred yards. </p><p>With having answered the Majors question Alex high tailed it out of the dinning hall. Nearly tripping over herself, as she passed by Marcus who sat at the edge of the table she made sure to sock him in the face. Pulling back her hand and punching him right in the mouth, it wasn’t hard but it wasn’t soft either. It made him recoil in pain and his eyes water. </p><p>“The fuck lieutenant!” He yelped nearly falling out of his seat. Alex felt better hearing the smart ass get what he deserved. </p><p>The rest of the unit seemed to think the same as they all bursted into laughter as Alex walked out of the hall. Marcus grumbling to him self as he checked his mouth for any blood lips. Even the Major seemed to chuckle at him getting what was coming. She took another bite as she though about her sniper, she wouldn’t have punched the man had there not been some truth to it. </p><p>“Corporal.” She called taking another bite from her apple. The corpsman turned to look at his commanding officer while rubbing his chin. </p><p>“Yes, Ma’am?” He answered.</p><p>“Is what you said true?” She pried, genuinely curious about her sniper’s apparent attraction. </p><p>Everyone in the mess hall turned to look at the Major in the exact same breadth, wide smirks on all their faces. Vale hummed quietly to herself before taking another bite from her apple, rather surprised to get such a unanimous answer. Standing up from her chair Vale took her leave from the hall, getting a couple of smug whistles from her soldiers. She stuck her hand up and flicked them off as she walked out, turning down the hall towards her office. A good deal of interesting thoughts on her mind.</p><p>Alex’s door slid open for her after reading the ID chip on her uniform. Stepping inside she made sure to lock it for good measure. Cursing to herself about Marcus and how he could say something like that so smugly. The bastard was such a pain in the ass sometimes. </p><p>Sitting down on the couch and she placed her tray on the table. Her room was special on account of her rank, only lieutenants and above got access to private suites. Her plate was already half gone, having eaten most of it on her way to her room. All that remained was the steak, she took the knife in her plate and began to cut through the meat and the used her fork to stuff it in her mouth. </p><p>Sighing as she chewed the sniper began to take off her combat uniform. Starting with the chest plate she reached for strap after strap and removed them. Eventually the plated chest piece was able to be lifted off and tossed to the other side of the couch, the same happening to her thigh, shin, and arm padding. With another sigh, of relief this time, the sniper went back to finishing her meal as her body cooled off from being sweaty from the armor. After finishing her food she untied her boots and then discarded them as she wiggled her toes. </p><p>“You think after all the centuries humanity has been around, we would’ve figured out better breathable technology, fuck.” She mumbled to herself, while undoing her thermal under suit and tossing it to the side as well. </p><p>Running her metal hands through her hair she hummed in a relaxed state, then stood and walked to her bathroom. It was time for some spiffing up, she looked like shit without her gear on. Being sweaty and having gear on made sense, cause you couldn’t have one without the other. </p><p>Stepping into her bathroom she pulled back the curtains and leaned with her hand against the wall on the far side as she turned on the water. Pushing off the wall she stuck her hand out to feel the temperature of the water, it was hot. That was one thing she loved about this place, the water was always warm. Never had to wait two minutes for hot water. </p><p>With the water ready Alex began to strip out of her clothes. Once naked she stepped into the soft cascade of hot water. Sighing as she put her forearm up to lean against the wall, water started to run through her hair and then down her back. The water trickled through her hair and then down her back and mechanical spine, and also over scars. Scars that criss crossed in their nature all similar in size and shape, long, shallow but easily visible. From a time that the sniper wished she could forget, a time when her life was torture, the scars were never shown to anyone. The cybernetic spine allowed her arms to get electromagnetic impulses from her brain and move her arms. The sniper ran her hands through her hair, pulling out any small knots.</p><p>As she ran through the usual routine, body wash and then shampoo, followed by a little conditioner Alex began to think about the Major again. She would kill to have that woman, not just because of her physique but more so her personality. The way she just nonchalantly did and said things, it was intriguing and a little mysterious. Alex also wanted her just so she could stop being such a shy dork around her. What happened in the dinning hall wasn’t a first among her and the rest of the unit. But it was the first time someone made a comment about it while in the major’s presence. </p><p>With her body clean the lieutenant stood under the water for an extra few minutes. Taking in the relaxing warmth that it offered, closing her eyes for a few seconds to enter her own world. It was a dark world, the sniper hid a lot of her past from the rest of her unit. Not because she didn’t trust them, she just didn’t really like to talk about it. Depending on the subject her anxiety could become overwhelming. It was the one thing that could make her lose focus. </p><p>Opening her eyes she came back to the real world with her body shaking slightly. It was time to get out, enough thinking for today. Stepping out of the shower she stepped out onto the floor mat and began drying off with the towel. Then made her way to the bedroom, slipping into a pair of briefs and a bra, then pulling on sweat pants and a grey tank top. Finishing it off with a bomber jacket with the Silver Lining insignia on it, a reward for having served in the PMC for at least 5 years. </p><p>With her clothes on she plopped onto her bed with a huff, sad thing is she wasn’t tired enough to pass out. There were no chores to do, she tended to keep up on those. With a grumble the sniper sat up and put her elbows to her knees to hold her head up as she scanned her room for things to do. Laying eyes on her rifle that was carefully placed in it’s open gun case. She couldn’t remember the last time it had been cleaned, it wasn’t any longer than a few days though. </p><p>Alex kept particularly good care of her rifle, she loved it like a daughter, and would keep up with it as such. Standing from her bed the sniper closed the case and then threw the sling over her shoulder, it was time for a cleaning. She pulled on a pair of casual shoes and then walked out of her room. </p><p>The automatic door sliding open and allowing Alex into the hallway, shutting behind her with a beep as it locked. The lieutenant then made her way to her favorite place, it was on the same floor as her room but it was more of a commons room. With a wall of thick glass panes allowing for a good over look of the valley behind the facility. At night the view of the stars was gorgeous, with out the light pollution of a large city the entirety of the system could be seen. </p><p>The view alone was partly why the sniper liked to clean her weapon there. It offered a place to clear her mind and it was usually quiet with the occasional hello from a member of her unit. Sitting down the lieutenant set down her weapon case and flipped the locks to open it. Pulling a soft mat out from inside and laying it on the floor, to protect the intricate pieces of her rifle. </p><p>Next Alex carefully took out her rifle, the entire process was methodical for her, having been done time and time again. Placing the weapon down on the mat she got to work. First to be removed was the scope, she flipped both lens caps off and used a delicate cloth to clean it despite there being next to nothing on it. </p><p>Then she clicked in a few pins and undid the bolt holding the barrel to the ass end of the rifle. Alex’s hand wrapped around the tip of the barrel and began to twist allowing it to come off like a screw. Fishing a swab out of her kit she then threaded it through the barrel and pulled it out on the other end. It came out clean, no sign of any dirt or residue which wasn’t surprising as most of the patrols recently had been uneventful. </p><p>Raising the barrel a few inches from her eye, angling it so that the hallway lights shown through the other end. Checking for any visual blockages that could cause the bullet to deviate from it’s intended course when firing. Satisfied with the clear visual look of the barrel, she then screwed the barrel back into it’s housing and then went to work on the bolt of the rifle. Running a cleaning rod through the bores in the metal bolt, once clean she began to cycle it. Checking to see if the bolt got hung up on itself one cycle followed by a second, a third, fourth, fifth, and lastly a sixth. </p><p>“Do you do this often?” Came a voice from behind Alex, startling her half to death and making her drop the bottom half of the rifle onto the mat. </p><p>“Who...M-Major?!” Alex stumbled not expecting to see the Major so late at night, she was typically tied up with paper work or maintaining the unit. </p><p>It was especially shocking to see her in such a place as this, out of all the times Alex had cleaned her rifle in this exact spot she never once ran into the Major. Looking over the other woman, she was dressed still in her tank top and fatigues. Once again the Lieutenant couldn’t get over the way her scars accented the muscle. Vale cleared her throat as she could visibly see the sniper gawking at her. If she didn’t know any better she’d guess it was the first time Alex had ever seen another human with way she looked at her. </p><p>“I uhhh...Sir!” Alex acknowledged standing up from her sitting position so she could salute the officer. </p><p>Vale just laughed and god was it just as Alex expected it to sound. Deep but not too much, gruff but still carrying a feminine tone, it made the sniper blush. She liked the sound of it, could listen to it over and over again and it would probably never get old. God what was she thinking, she cleared her head by shaking it a tiny bit. </p><p>“At ease lieutenant, it’s too late in the evening for formalities.” Vale dismissed, walking over to where the lieutenant was standing, eyeing the mat with the disassembled rifle. Then she sat down and motioned for the sniper to do the same. “Do you do this often?”</p><p>“I...uh..once every few days.” Alex replied, still a little nervous. Struggling with the usual inability to control her shyness around the woman. </p><p>The Major then leaned back on her hands, looking into her green eyes, she had to admit they were rather beautiful. Most of the eyes she’d ever seen had been brown or blue, even Vale’s own were a deep brown. These would definitely stand out in the Vale’s memory if she saw them enough face to face like this. </p><p>“Why?” Vale asked, curious to hear of the snipers little ritual. She waited for answer with a gentle smile on her face, a smile that the Lieutenant found heart warming and seemed to ease her anxiety. </p><p>“It’s cause I’m kinda OCD about my rifle, also I just find it relaxing.” Alex admitted lifting up the back end of her rifle again and checking the bolt one last time. Then reattaching the front to the back she clicked in the pins and tightened the bolt that held them together. </p><p>“Relaxing? Is that why you do it here?” Vale wondered, turning her attention to the starlit sky through the window. </p><p>“I...yeah...it is.” Alex answered, blushing as she began to look with the Major. </p><p>Alex always loved seeing the stars, they were a mystery that the sniper wanted to explore. She wanted to hop from planet to planet discovering their natural wonders and deeper secrets. Like a real space adventurer, it was always her dream and also partly the reason why she joined Silver Lining. Among other things...more personal things. </p><p>The lieutenant’s mind began to wander, about said personal things. The echoes of shattering glass sounding in her head making her shiver slightly and close her eyes diverting them from the stars. Her head dipped down and she did her best to try and repress the memories. What broke them was the sound of the Major asking her something else. </p><p>“Where are you from, Alex?” Vale inquired, using the sniper’s name for a second time. Alex hesitated for a couple seconds as the thought of her home world made the Lieutenant fearful as bad memories started to crawl into her train of thought. </p><p>“I’m from Arcadia.” Alex responded, pulling in her legs so that her knees were tucked up under her chin to protect herself from her thoughts. </p><p>“Arcadia? You mean that frozen hell hole?” Vale said, surprised by the lieutenants answer, looking back to see the sniper curled up. Realizing she had over stepped her bounds the Major back peddled. “I-I’m sorry that was rude to say.” </p><p>“N-No you’re fine!” Alex blurted out, she didn’t want to have the Major blame herself for her own insecure behavior. “J-Just bad memories is all, Major.”</p><p>“I see.” Vale said softly. There was a long pause between the two, then the Major placed her hand on the snipers shoulder and offered the same friendly smile from earlier. “Hey if you need to ever talk about anything, I’ve got your back.” </p><p>“I...T-Thank you, Major.” Alex said appreciative but quiet voice. She wasn’t expecting to have Vale be that supportive. </p><p>“It’s just Vale, lieutenant. You can cut the superficial crap when it’s just us.” Vale offered, which surprised the sniper even more than the last statement. </p><p>The Major then stood up, and began to walk away realizing she’d overstayed her welcome. Before she left completely she turned around to say something. </p><p>“One last thing, you’re on combat patrol with me and another squad. Theres an infestation in the abandoned village apparently. Third shift patrol caught sight some nasty bugs.” </p><p>“When?” </p><p>“Patrol is supposed to leave around noon.” </p><p>“Copy.” </p><p>“I’ll see you tomorrow.” </p><p>“Yeah.” </p><p>With that Vale turned back around and walked away, leaving the lieutenant with some very dark thoughts coursing through her mind. </p><p>~end~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A fear of the Dark</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 3: A Fear of the Dark. </p><p>Alex awoke with a scream, sitting up in her bed and her heart beating a mile a minute. Scanning her room in a wild confusion the sniper tightened her hold on the pillow she had wrapped up in her cybernetic arms. When she felt safe she whimpered and nuzzled into pillow for couple of seconds, trying to calm herself down. Nightmares, they frequented the snipers mind anytime she tried to get any kind of decent amount of sleep, and she hated them. </p><p>Her bed was in disarray, bed sheets flung about and none of them actually covering the sniper’s body. Pillows, aside from the one she currently held, were tossed on the floor or hung halfway off the bed. With a sad sigh the lieutenant released the pillow from her tight grip. Flinging her legs over the side of the bed and onto the floor she sat and started to rub her face in a tired manner. </p><p>“God fucking damnit...” Alex growled, looking around her room one last time before standing up and looking to the clock. </p><p>It was an hour away from being noon. Alex couldn’t even remember what time she passed out last night, had to have been around eight in the morning. The lieutenant needed something to wake herself up, maybe a stop by the dinning hall for coffee would work. Stepping over to her gear she slipped into her combat clothing, consisting of a thermal layer with a shroud like hoodie and then combat pants that were hard to tear. The sniper then pulled on her boots and tied up the laces until they were tight. </p><p>Next the Lieutenant strapped on her shin and thigh armor, wrapping the straps of the guards around her calves and thighs. Not too tight to cut off circulation, but tight enough that it doesn’t move out of place. After her legs she grabbed her body armor and put her head through the hole in the top before tightening the straps along the side for a snug fit. Finishing her outfit with light weight shoulder pads and arm braces to protect her cybernetics. </p><p>Next came her rifle, which she pulled from it’s case and a couple of magazines filled with high caliber rounds. Sliding the magazines into the pouches around her tactical rig. The lieutenant slung the rifle around her shoulder, then reached for her pistol and slid it into the holster on her thigh. The sniper then turned around and was confronted by the absolute mess that was her bed. </p><p>“For once in my life...I’m gonna ignore it...” Alex said with a sigh, walking past her bed and out the door. Hanging a right towards the dining hall, she needed that coffee desperately. </p><p>As she approached the dinning hall the door opened allowing the woman inside. The sniper breezed past a group of troopers just in from second patrol, Marcus was among them. The corpsman, was playing chess with another member of their unit, he was losing. As Alex stepped up to grab a cup for her coffee, she overheard him complain as the final move was made sealing his fate. </p><p>“Is there a baby in here? Or is that just Marcus?” The lieutenant teased a cheeky smile spreading across her lips. </p><p>“Fuck you LT. Chess is hard okay!” Marcus fired back in attempt to defend his pride, making Alex chuckle to herself as the coffee machine dispensed it’s fluid. </p><p>“It really isn’t that hard.” She replied, turning around as the cup was filled and she topped it with a lid. Leopards, while a great off road vehicle, they weren’t the smoothest of rides. </p><p>“Would you like to show me then?” He challenged, gesturing for her to sit on the seat next to him. The smile on her face only grew. </p><p>“Mmm, I’d love to but I can’t. Combat patrol in thirty.” The Lieutenant explained as she took a sip of her coffee. The expression on Marcus’ face became one of annoyance, upset that she’d do a hit and run insult. </p><p>Alex stepped out of the dinning hall and then made her way to the elevator, clicking in the button she waited while taking another sip of her coffee. Sighing in relief as she felt the caffeine slowly start to do it’s work, a couple of seconds later the door to the elevator opened and she stepped in. Hitting the button for the main floor, she took another sip as the doors shut. </p><p>Once down on the main floor the sniper made her way outside the building and over to the motor pool. Walking around the parked Leopards until she saw the major getting ready to brief the rest of the combat patrol. She leaned in to hear the briefing as she took another sip from her coffee, feeling as though she could actually pay attention to something. The Major looked over at the sniper and could make out the dark rings around her eyes and a coffee in hand. A smirk grew across her face, guessing the sniper wasn’t a morning person. </p><p>“According to fifth patrol, theres an infestation at the abandoned village nearby. Our objective, as you can guess, is to eradicate said infestation. Should be simple enough.” The Major Explained, before giving the signal to roll out. “Klingberg you’re with Carmine, Debois you ride with Simmons.” </p><p>As the Major called through the names in the group Alex slowly began to realize that hers wasn’t being called, on purpose. Sure enough the Lieutenant was right as Vale motioned for the sniper to take the passenger seat in her Leopard. With a sigh the green eyed sharpshooter worked her way inside the vehicle. Climbing in the lieutenant sat down and positioned her rifle, barrel down in her lap, not even bothering with the cup holders for her coffee. Vale climbed into the driver seat a minute later, locking her rifle into the weapon rack behind the head rest of the drive seat. </p><p>“Debois you take lead, I’ll be middle, Carmine you take rear.” Vale instructed as she turned on the vehicle and shifted the gear. </p><p>“Copy.” Carmine and Debois acknowledged through the comms. Debois pulled out of the motor pool first and followed by Vale and then Carmine. </p><p>As the cars drove out the gate of the facility, Alex took another sip from her coffee and looked out the side of the vehicle. Taking in the view of the valley as they drive down the road, a swamp of muddy fields and rock, with the only real value being minerals, which weren’t all that valuable to begin with. </p><p>“Not enough sleep?” Vale asked, causing Alex to break from her sight seeing and turning to look at her. </p><p>“No...” Alex admitted leaning back in the seat, taking another sip from her coffee before turning back to look out the side of the vehicle. </p><p>“Restless?” Vale pried further wondering what could’ve kept the sniper up so late. </p><p>“No...uh...n-nightmares.” Alex said softly almost ashamed of the fact that she had them. Pulling her knife out of it’s sheath, she began to slowly run her metal fingers along the edge of the blade. </p><p>“Are you alright, Alex?” Vale questioned concerned about the snipers mental health. </p><p>“I-I...yeah, I’m alright.” Alex answered, she she knew the Major could see right through the lie. Vale looked into the sniper’s eyes and she could see the distress in them, which was only complemented by the dark rings under her eyes. </p><p>“I should’ve let you stay back.” Vale said, worried about her snipers. </p><p>“I’m fine, Vale. I promise.” Alex tried to reassure, placing the knife back into it’s sheath as a call came across the comms. They were closing in on the village, with callout the sniper pulled the bolt back on her rifle and then pushed it forward, loading a round into the chamber. </p><p>As they pulled in through the town they slowed their vehicles to a crawl, Alex stepped out of the vehicle to pull security. Slinging her rifle over shoulder she began to scan the building for a good vantage point to set up in. The buildings were all old, metal pods that could be easily set up and deployed on a planet for quick operations, typically mining. The settlement had probably been abandoned for several decades, judging by the amount of rust that painted the walls. </p><p>Alex unholstered her pistol and pulled the slide back chambering a round in her weapon. As the continued down the path the sniper caught eye of a roof that could be a decent sniping position. Making hand signals to vale as she walked along the passenger side, with the nod to move out given by her CO the sniper began to plot a way to the roof. </p><p>Alex began to scout the side of the building first. It was covered in rust and the only good place to climb was a landing that looked too unstable and rickety to even warrant trying. With a sigh the sniper then made her way around to the back of the building. Her boots sinking into the mud from how much raid the valley was showered with. It felt like she was walking through a thick paste, mud stuck to her boots with some of it falling off as she lifted her feet. But with each step it began to build up weigh, with a sigh the lieutenant out her hand up against the side of the building and began to kick her foot against it banging the mud off. </p><p> </p><p>“Sometimes I wonder why I took this assignment.” She growled, slamming her boot rather hard into the metal. With the mud off her boot she stepped back and looked for a route up. </p><p>There was a ladder leaning against the wall, which was a relief to the sniper. Stepping up to the ladder she wrapped her hands around the metal peg and the lifted, moving it to a position good for climbing. With it settled she stomped on the end with her foot, burying the bottom into the mud. With the ladder steady she started to climb up to the roof. Once on top she set up her rifle, deploying her bipod and removing the lens cap.</p><p>“Lieutenant are you setup?” Vale called through the comm link. Alex glanced through her scope, searching through the town for the Major and her squad. It didn’t take her more than a couple seconds to find them. </p><p>They had stopped at the edge of town near the old mine shaft, the money maker of the town. The whole reason that the place existed, their vehicles sat parked in a wedge formation with turrets on standby. The objective was to keep the creatures at a choke point and whittle them down until they thinned them out and could blow the tunnel sealing those that remained inside. </p><p>“Debois chuck a nade in the hole, let’s rile them up.” Vale ordered, racking the bolt on her rifle to prime it for firing. </p><p>Debois, the demolitionist in task of this patrol, pulled a grenade from his tactical rig. Priming the nade by pressing button, he waited for a second and then chucked the explosive down the mine shaft. Four seconds later a plume of dark smoke exploded out of the shaft, followed by a demonic like screech that roared out and made the squad shiver and squint their eyes in pain from the sheer volume. </p><p>Consecutive smaller shrieks began to emanate from the shaft with the sound of skittering dagger like feet stamping into the ground. Alex slowed down her breathing and began to hum to herself, a tactic she used to keep herself calm and focused. Peering through the scope she trained it on the entrance to the shaft. </p><p>An insect like monster emerged from the hole, the creature sported mandibles with jagged edge,  ripe for tearing flesh and breaking bone. Accompanied by a set of fangs in the side which more than likely held a venomous substance. To make the insect like creature even more deadly it’s legs were sharp and backed by powerful tendons, more than capable of skewering a human. </p><p>The insect reared up and let out a deafening screech, just before a bullet slammed clear through it’s hard exoskeleton. Blowing out the other side of the body peppering the ground behind it in body matter and yellowish-green blood. As the body flopped to the ground, a grin spread across the Majors lips, Alex was good and apparently didn’t like to hesitate. Looking back towards the roof Alex sat, Vale raised her hand with her thumb up, a thank you that put a soft smile on the snipers face.</p><p>The sniper’s hand let go of the trigger and moved to cycle the weapon, catching the  bolt in the groove of her thumb and index finger. Lifting up and pulling back, the spent cartridge ejected itself from the rifle, then her hand pushed forward and the next round was sent into the chamber. In a split-second Alex was ready and waiting for her next target to show its self. </p><p>With the battle cry echoing through the mine shaft a return call came which was immediately followed by a swarm of more insects rushing out of the entrance. Enraged by the death of a member of their brood they charged the hold out position established by the ground team. Shrieking bloody murder all the while. As the swarm flooded out the automated turrets mounted to the Leopards started to roar with fire. Filling the horde with heavy fire, shredding through their ranks, blowing off sharp limbs with mindless spray and ripping exoskeleton off their bodies. </p><p>Carmine was the next to open fire, the seasoned veteran was suited up in an exoskeleton that allowed him to hoist around a large heavy machine gun with an ammo box strapped to his back. Taking aim he fired in a semi indiscriminate manner, scanning from his firing  angle trying to manage the horde and prevent flanking. The tips of his rounds were integrated with an incendiary package keeping the exploding in impact with the target. Fire combining with the chemical composition of the creatures caused them to explode in response, scattering bits of carapace and limbs across the killzone. </p><p>Klingberg, armed with a heavy automatic shot gun, began laying into anything that grew two close for the rest of the group. Blowing holes through the sides of the insects as those sides were much soft and allowed for easier penetration. His efficiency was cut down because of his weapons lack of killing potential, if he fired directly, the bugs could tank the shot and keep coming. </p><p>As the fight dragged on the swarm began to intensify, causing a surge in numbers allowing them to break out. Several flanking around the right side towards Vale’s position, the Major lead her targets one by one killing one with short accurate bursts. Dropping them effectively but that couldn’t make up for the speed they advanced at. The grew closer and closer, Vale grew more and more frantic in her firing emptying her magazine faster that she should have. One of the insects, smaller than the rest, probably a fresh warrior grew close enough to pounce onto her. </p><p>Knocking Vale on her back in the mud, pinning the woman inbetween her rifle and the ground. Snarling in her face Vale cursed and tried to fight back, but despite the creature lack of size it was still strong. She fought for her life dodging deadly stabs from it’s spear like legs, the struggle dragged on until an air splitting crack could be heard followed by the body falling limp. Shocked by the sudden weight falling on her, in her confusion a second bug skittered it’s way to her position and reared by it’s leg ready to skewer the Vale in the head. </p><p>But a second crack split the sounds of combat, severing the monster’s limb  in half causing it to scream in pain and spurt blood onto the Majors face just before a third round ripped through the head of the insect. The body fell to it’s side and squirmed as residual nerves activated in it’s body. Mouth agape with heavy breathing from her struggle, Vale turned to see the glint of Alex’s sniper scope. </p><p>“Theres more coming, get up.” Alex commanded, swapping the empty magazine and replacing it with a new one within three seconds. The speed of her arms was systematic and practiced, allowing her to keep a steady flow of fire. </p><p>Vale chuckled, she was beginning to like that little sniper, the Major shoved the  body of the dead insect off. As she stood it was evident the fight was still in motion,  but the chaos had died down significantly. Pulling her rifle from the dead insect the Major changed out her empty magazine and then began to clean up the fight. Shouldering her rifle she fired into the diminishing number of insects running about the kill zone. With each burst from her rifle another insect would fall to skidding halt. </p><p>Several minutes passed as the last of the insects were mopped up, shotguns, heavy machine guns, and assault rifle rounds splitting carapace, jaws, and limbs alike. Alex scanned the horizon for any trying to flee, catching a few on the run she began to lead her shots, firing with her scope a few centimeters off. The bullet traveled through the air on a perfect trajectory with it’s intended victim. Tearing through alien flesh with unimpeded speed, exiting the other side and burying itself into the ground. </p><p>It dropped in an instant and twitched as the last of it’s life slowly bled out onto the. One last scan of the area left the sniper satisfied, with low sigh she let her head droop. The amount of concentration that it took to be as precise as her was tiring, even more so with a lack of sleep to boot. Sitting up on her knee she began to pack up her gear, picking up empty magazines and placing them in the pouches of her tactical rig. </p><p>“Lieutenant we’re good to go. Regroup and we’ll get out of here.” Vale called, waving at the sniper from a distance. Instructing Debois to place charges around the entrance to the mine shaft. </p><p>Standing up Alex made her way back to the ladder and climbed down, getting half way down before jumping off. Her feet landing in a rather large pool of mud, splashing some of the much up and onto the rest of her uniform. The sniper growled in frustration, cleaning her uniform was the last thing she wanted to do. Mumbling to herself she made her way to the rest of the group. </p><p>~Cont~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. A Fear Of The Dark pt2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4: A Fear Of The Dark pt2</p>
<p>Before she could catch up with the group, a hissing sound caught the sniper’s attention. Unslinging her rifle, Alex turned to face down an alley way, formed by two rows of the pod homes. Skimming over what she could see, there appeared to be nothing. However there was a large incinerator, used for burning the towns trash, it blocked a good portion of the her sight. The hiss sounded again and put the sharpshooter on edge, the noise appeared to be coming from behind the incinerator.</p>
<p>Advancing into the alley Alex decided to investigate. Rifle raised and tilted to the side, making use of the rifle’s barrel as a reference point for her aim. The closer she got to the incinerator the louder the hissing became. In a flash, a figure darted out from behind the antiquated machine, charging the lieutenant with overwhelming force. Tackling Alex to the ground, knocking the rifle out of her hands and away from them. As the rifle hit the ground it went off, the loud booming sound of her rifle firing scaring her half to death.</p>
<p>The creature in question was one of the insects from the mine, hissing and shrieking at its prey. Raising a leg to stab the sniper in the head, Alex only had a split second to react and catch the limb as it was brought down. The sharp point was mere centimeters away from stabbing through the Lieutenants eye. Her cybernetic arms could hold the insects killing blow at bay but only for a little while. She could already hear the servos in her arms straining under the amount of force the creature was able to exert. She needed to get it off soon, placing her boots under it’s carapaced belly and pushing with all the power she had.</p>
<p>The push was just barely enough to send the insect stumbling back into the incinerator. Rolling onto her front she made a crawl for her rifle, hardly making it a foot before there was a sharp pain in her calf, causing Alex to scream out in pain. The insect had speared it’s leg through the Lieutenants leg, narrowly missing the bone but tearing clean through to the other side. It then began dragging the sniper away from her weapon and down the alley, towards a hole in the rock face on the other side.</p>
<p>Alex began kicking at the creatures head trying to get it to let go, but it tanked kick after kick, highlighting it’s persistence. Latching onto a rock in the ground the sniper attempted to resist the pulling, hanging on for dear life she screamed for help. The sound of yelling caught Alex’s attention.</p>
<p>“Alex!” Vale called from the end of the alley, running full sprint toward the Lieutenant tossing her rifle in order to get more speed out of her sprint.</p>
<p>A searing pain shot through the sniper’s back as a second leg sunk itself into her body. Ripping through her back and not as deep as the one in her leg but it offered the insect more leverage over it’s victim as it pulled her even harder. Alex’s grip on the rock began to slip with each consecutive yank. The Major grew closer and closer, boots slamming into puddles of mud with intensity.</p>
<p>“Vale!” She cried, terrified by the prospect of death if this monster dragged her in. Her body would be chewed up by powerful mandibles until nothing remained, the insects were notorious for leaving nothing behind.</p>
<p>Reaching out the sniper called out one last time. Hoping that Vale would be able to save her, but that hope was soon stamped out as her hands slipped from the rock. The insect seized the moment and dragged the sniper into the hole as her screams were swallowed by darkness. The tunnels were large, large enough for a human to almost fully stand up, sadly there was no saving grace in the way of areas to hold and fight from. There was no challenge for the insect in dragging the girl deeper and deeper into its lair.</p>
<p>~ Vale’s Perspective~</p>
<p>“Alex!” She called, diving in an attempt to grab hold of her sniper’s hand as she was dragged into the hole.</p>
<p>Her hand missing Alex’s by mere centimeters. All she could do was watch the as the woman was pulled away to her death. Leaving the major speechless and angry. How could she have let that disgusting bug get away with one of her men. In a fit of rage she slammed her fist repeatedly into the rock wall and nearly breaking it. Screaming in anger, as her blood boiled she began to blame herself.</p>
<p>She should’ve been faster.</p>
<p>Should’ve killed it while she had the chance.</p>
<p>Should’ve stayed with the sniper. Had she been there it wouldn’t have happened.</p>
<p>“Major! What happened?” Debois asked, catching up with Vale along with the rest of the squad. A concerned look present on all their faces their. “Where’s Alex?”</p>
<p>“She...FUCKING DAMNIT!” She couldn’t contain her anger, and could only point to the hole as her hand that her sniper had just disappeared into.</p>
<p>“You’ve got to be kidding me!” Carmine exclaimed. “She got dragged away by one of those bugs.”</p>
<p>A thought passed through the Major’s mind, she processed it for a couple of minutes as her hands quaked with anger and her squad stood waiting for their next order. It was a stupid idea, but she couldn’t just let Alex die like that. Especially when she gave the order for her to come on the mission. Vale had to, she had to save her. If she left her there to die she’d think about it for days on end. But what made her hesitate was if it were anyone else Vale would give up and leave, but she couldn’t for this woman.</p>
<p>Her hands grabbed hold of the straps keeping her body armor in place and began to pull them free. Lifting the armor above her head she tossed it to the ground, leaving her men shocked.</p>
<p>Why was she doing this?</p>
<p>“Major what are you doing?” Klingberg asked, watching her strip out of her gear and grab hold of her rifle from his hands.</p>
<p>“What the fuck does it look like?” She growled.</p>
<p>“You’re going in there, aren’t you.” Debois said in disbelief.</p>
<p>“Yeah I’m going in there. I’m not leaving her to die like that.” Vale said, checking her ammo count, she had three full mags. Pulling the bolt back on her rifle she loaded a fresh round into the chamber.</p>
<p>“You’re fucking crazy.” Klingberg said shaking his head at this ridiculous plan.</p>
<p>Vale was just about to enter the when she turned around and looked the man dead in the eye. “Would you like to come with me?” Klingberg just shook his head and backed up a few feet, holding his hands out in surrender.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>“Alright then shut the fuck up. Debois, if I’m not back in an hour blow the mine and head back to base.” Vale ordered, Debois hesitated he knew this was a bad idea.</p>
<p>A very dangerous idea.</p>
<p>With her mind set on saving her Lieutenant, Vale crawled into the hole in search of the woman she couldn’t leave behind.</p>
<p>~Alex’s perspective~</p>
<p>Smoke billowed from the barrel of the snipers pistol and her knife sat covered in blood, half buried in the body of the insect. The insect laid limp on the Lieutenants leg, she pushed the dead weight off her leg and slowly stood up. Using a wall to support her weight, as she tried to lean on the wall she could feel her legs begging for her to stop. Blood oozed from the wounds in her leg and lower back, there were two new wounds in her leg.</p>
<p>Puncture wounds caused by the fangs that sat on either of the bug’s mandibles, she knew there was something in her blood stream, but the question was what.<br/>
The Lieutenant knew she’d find out sooner or later, setting her hand on the wall she tried to stand up fully. Growling as she put pressure on her calf muscle, she began to walk slowly. The pain was too much to move any faster than a slow limp with the support of the cave wall.</p>
<p>Alex cautiously worked her way down the winding tunnels of the insects network, of which there were many. Too many for her to judge which one would lead to the surface. Looking to her gun she flicked on the under-rail flashlight and shined the light down each tunnel. Nothing but endless rock could be seen through each tunnel, the sniper’s armed drooped in defeat followed by an annoyed growl.</p>
<p>“I’m going to fucking die in here...” She sighed, taking another look at her leg.</p>
<p>Her fatigues were covered in blood and some of it had managed to drip down. Crouching down she touched the largest wound with her hands, immediately regretting the decision as it yelled at her to leave it alone. Gritting her teeth as she put pressure on her leg in order stand, thankful for the rock wall. In this cold tunnel it seemed to be her only friend offering a shoulder to lean on, a cold one at that.</p>
<p>“Alex...” A ghostly voice whispered from behind the Lieutenant, causing to whip around gun at the ready.</p>
<p>“Wh-who’s there?” She called out, shining the light on her handgun in all possible directions. Checking tunnel after tunnel, expecting to find someone.</p>
<p>“AlEx!” It said again, this time with a warped tone to the voice. Putting her back to the wall the sniper checked her other side.</p>
<p>“V-Vale?” She called out hoping her guess was correct. But she received no response as her head began to grow dizzy. So much so that she had to sit down and hold her position.</p>
<p>Aiming from left to right the lieutenant began to grow fearful, paranoid that something was stalking her. Hand shaking so much she had to steady it with her other hand just to get a good aim. Looking to her right she caught a glimpse of something, quick and almost see through. Scared, Alex rubbed her eyes, she had to be seeing things. The sound of a crack from her left made the sniper turn hurriedly. That cracking sound was so familiar, in a way that made her heart sink with dread.</p>
<p>“D-Don’t fuck with me!” She yelled, anger in her voice as her finger wrapped itself around the trigger. “I’ll fucking kill you!”</p>
<p>The cracking sound could be heard again but this time from her right, making her snap back and pull the tigger. The flash illuminated herself and the cave she sat in while the a shell casing ejected itself and ping on the rocky floor. Then she heard her name again from the left and she turned to fire without hesitation. The round traveled down the tunnel before striking one of the sides causing it to ricochet into the ground.</p>
<p>“Alex.” The voice came from the front, as she looked the sniper was confronted by a face. A very familiar face, feminine in nature and looking so much like the girl that sat on the ground in fear.</p>
<p>“M-Mom?” Alex whispered in a pitiful manner, like there was a hand around her heart keeping it from beating.</p>
<p>She couldn’t remember the last time she had seen her mother, it felt like an eternity. Every night she wished for one last chance to be with her, to talk to her, to do anything with her. Just one last chance.<br/>
Reaching out a shaking metal hand the sniper attempted to touch the face of the person she missed dearly. But the hand just went through her, like she wasn’t there. Alex then tried again and again, as tears started to roll down her cheeks, she could see her but couldn’t touch her.</p>
<p>“Mom!” The sniper cried, begging for a reply. Heartbreakingly, there was none, the face just stared at her with a smile and loving look in her eyes. “MOM!”</p>
<p>But the happy look didn’t last for very long, as the eyes began to go black and leak bloody tears down her mothers cheeks. Alex stared confused at first as it began to drip off the edge of her jaws, but never splashing onto the floor. The figure opened it’s jaw slowly, at first it seemed apt for a human gape. But as the seconds went by the jaw started to stretch out to an inhuman degree. With a scream Alex raised her pistol point blank with the figures chest, which no longer bore any semblance of her mother, and then fired.</p>
<p>The round slipped through the apparition unimpeded by bones, muscle, or tissue of any kind. Then the ghost faded in a cloud of smoke, leaving the sniper with tears streaming from her down her face and onto her armor. Seconds later more faces began to appear, emerging from the walls walls in a horrific state. Jaws stretched past the human limit and eyes bleeding from their sockets, just like her mother. Riddled with terror and panic the girl began to fire at each figure as they climbed from tunnels and out of walls. Shuffling towards her like zombies while saying her name in ghastly tones like painful moans.</p>
<p>Round after round, she fired, until the magazine went empty and smoke bled from her barrel. Reaching for her ammo pouch mounted to her holster ripped a fresh one from it’s cage and fumbled as she stuffed it into the empty gun. Racking the slide she took aim again with furry and let loose.</p>
<p>“Stay the fuck away from me!” She screamed with a voice shaky and a face wet with tears. One trigger pull after another the sniper defended her self from horrific phantoms. The calling of her name maddening to the point of insanity.</p>
<p>“Shut up!”</p>
<p>“Shut up”</p>
<p>“SHUT THE FUCK UP!” She wailed, pleading for the noise to go away as it soon became deafening.</p>
<p>Alex fired until their was no more ammunition, with a cry of anger she threw her pistol at another apparition. The weapon passed through and bounced off the wall behind it. Wrapping her hand around the handle of her knife she yanked it from its sheath. Then with her body full of adrenaline she stood and charged the next human shape that stepped into her vision. Oblivious of the greenish light emanating from a chem light attached from the body’s left shoulder.</p>
<p>Lunging full force she tackled, what ever it was, to the ground and raised the knife with both hands aiming to stab the head. As she brought her hands down in a blinded rage fueled by feat and adrenaline, a two hands came up to meet the blade and an inch before impact. They were strong enough to hold back the cybernetic strength of the sniper’s arms. With intent to kill, Alex adjusted her position to push her body weight into the knife and slowly overpower the person underneath her. Growling with terror fueled fury she edged closer and closer to finishing the job.</p>
<p>Eventually the hands slipped from the blade but managed to deflect it at the last second. Sending the knife into the persons shoulder, narrowly missing a vital artery by mere centimeters. A groan of pain left the their mouth as they used their took initiative and overcome Alex’s weight. Rolling the sniper onto her back and pinning the woman to the ground as it ripped the knife from their shoulder and tossing it. Then it grabbed hold of the snipers hands and pinning them on either side of her head causing Alex to panic.</p>
<p>“Let go! Let go! LET GO!” She cried, trying her hardest to resist the being holding her down.</p>
<p>“Alex!” It yelled, looking into terrified green eyes, ignoring it as some trick she continued to fight back.</p>
<p>“Alex, god damnit it’s me! Vale!” The Major said, and it was only until that name was said did the Lieutenant stop resisting.</p>
<p>The haze of adrenaline gradually drained away, clearing up Alex’s mind as she began to register her commanding officer’s eyes and face in the dull green light. Confused and also still trembling with fear, the sniper analyzed her features for anything out of the ordinary. Sure enough every detail was the way she remembered it, her eyes were a light brown her face was the same human shape it had been since last she saw it. With all signs of struggle fading the major let go of the Lieutenants arms. Shakily, Alex reached her hand up and touched Vale’s cheek with her hand, it was real.</p>
<p>“V-Vale?” Alex muttered, her true voice stuck in her face out of fear.</p>
<p>“Yeah, it’s me. I’m here.” Vale replied gently, placing her own hand on top of the metal hands on her cheek. Alex then dove into Vale’s arms, breaking down in her arms thankful for something that was actually real.</p>
<p>“I-I the voices wouldn’t stop they..they drove me mad...I couldn’t...they were all around me...and I couldn’t control~” Alex whimpered trying to explain everything before Vale cut her off trying to keep from falling deeper into a pit of sadness.</p>
<p>“Shhhh...it’s okay, I’m here. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” Vale shushed the quivering sniper, as she held her tight and rubbed her back while she wept.</p>
<p>“I’ve got you”</p>
<p>~end~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Old Wounds pt1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4: Old Wounds.</p><p>~One Week Later~</p><p>Vale strolled through the halls of the facility, data pad in hand scrolling through manifests of equipment shipments. Nothing out of the usual just the typical ammunition, food, and luxury goods that made living on the planet tolerable. It wasn’t the worst assignment that a soldier of Silver Lining could receive, like being stationed on a planet with a toxic atmosphere or a plethora dangerous wildlife. It was still shit, as there was nothing but mud and rocks to look at, no amazing vistas or exotic and beautiful plants. Just mud and rock. </p><p>Stepping into the dinning hall she could see most of her unit. Marcus sat at the chess table still trying to practice and eventually and become a winner. The rest of the unit was either eating or idly chatting. Everyone was here, minus the other that were on patrol, but there also one other MIA soldier. Alex, the sniper hadn’t really shown her face since the incident in the cave. The Major had only seen her a couple times, typically during her trips to the infirmary but there were no other signs of her. </p><p>“Corpsman?” Vale called to Marcus, looking away from her data pad as she scanned the room one last time for the sniper. </p><p>“Major?” He acknowledged, not turning to look at his commanding officer, choosing to focus on his game of chess instead. </p><p>“Have you seen the lieutenant recently?” She asked, having concluded her second overlook of the dining hall with the lieutenant no where to be seen. </p><p>“Define recently.” He said, moving one chess piece to another square and then rubbing his chin. </p><p>“In the past three days.” Vale said with a roll of her eyes not really in the mood to argue with the corporal’s sass. </p><p>“Uhh....” He pondered in his head trying to recall the last time he’d seen the sniper, but those thoughts were interrupted as he noticed he’d just lost his game. “God damnit! Uhh...I saw her the day you came back from patrol other than that nothing.” </p><p>Strange, while Alex wasn’t an extrovert she wasn’t a solitary person you would see her eventually. Vale began to think about the patrol and what she had seen in the cave. Touching the bandaging on her shoulder she remembered the way Aex had been panicking. Her desperate defense from things that weren’t really there, being tackled by the woman as she screamed and came at her weapon in hand. Ready to kill who ever she deemed a threat, and then the fear in her eyes when the sniper came to her senses. </p><p>“Do....Do you know where she is?” Vale inquired further, figuring the corpsman would be the one to know since he was friends with Alex. </p><p>“Probably her room.” Marcus answered finally turning to face the Major now that he’d lost. “If she’s not here then she’s there.” </p><p>“I see...um do you know how she prefers her coffee?” Vale asked, it was time to pay the sniper a visit. The Major walked over to the coffee machine and placed in her order then pausing as she waited for Marcus to answer. “Corporal?” </p><p>“Black, she likes her coffee black.” Marcus smirked while watching the major punch in the order. Knowing full well that Vale didn’t act this way for anyone, she rarely gave two shits about the personal tiding of her men. It was their job to sort it out. </p><p>As the coffee poured into the cups the memories of the patrol crawled their way back into Vale’s mind. Alex must have seen something serious to cause her to be so secluded from the rest of the unit. The fear in her eyes was pure and almost paralyzing, the way that Alex clung to the Major after snapping out of her anger screamed desperation and terror. Vale needed to get to the bottom of what was causing the sniper so much grief. </p><p>With the cups of coffee made Vale turned to leave the room, rolling her eyes as she saw Marcus’ shit eating grin. It wasn’t a secret to herself that she was developing feelings for the Lieutenant, rather quickly she might add. But that didn’t mean she was going to let the Corpsman feel good about himself. She then proceeded to out of the dinning hall and towards Alex’s room. On her way Vale brainstormed, trying to guess what the sniper’s child hood must’ve been like. Growing up on Arcadia wasn’t a cake walk, remembering vaguely that the two super powers on the planet were locked in a cold war.  </p><p>Something about a decade long feud or something of that sort, bottom line there was bad blood between the two powers. The Major hadn’t really paid much attention to the report, she hated politics, much preferred to be given orders and to simply carry them out. Now she would never do something immoral or cruel, but she’d been in the military all her life. It provided a stability that other occupations didn’t. There was always a proxy war to be fought, an uprising to put down, a terrorist cell to defend a populous from. It was consistent and familiar, something the veteran found comfort in. </p><p>Arriving at the door to the Lieutenant’s room, the soldier knocked on the door, and waited. A minute passed and there was no reply. Alex was either busy or just purposefully ignoring any attempts at contact. Growing impatient, Vale pressed the open option on the holographic display. She waited a few seconds, sighing, as it seemed to be taking longer than it should to process her request. But the Major was then surprised to see the display turn red with the word, Locked, written across the screen.</p><p>“My Apologies but the Lieutenant has requested that she not be disturbed.” Blossom informed. Blossom was the facilities VI, her voice was soft and innocent but mature almost like a protective mother. Vale looked to the ceiling as if she were talking to a person. </p><p>“Why?” Vale questioned, hoping to glean some info from the impersonal VI</p><p>“Recuperation and Recovery.” Blossom answered matter of factly. Vale smirked, the clever woman was being sneaky, tricking the VI into lying on her behalf. </p><p>“Executive override.” Vale commanded, planning to use her rank to allow herself entry. It was rude but she wasn’t about to just down two cups off coffee and call it a day. </p><p>“State your rank, Name, and Serial number.” Blossom announced shifting to a more robotic like voice as protocol took over. </p><p>“Major, Cassandra Vale, 468732” Vale answered, leaning on her left leg as she waited for Blossom to acknowledge. Coffee still in hand and still as hot as if it was fresh out of the machine. </p><p>“Authorization complete Major Vale.” </p><p>The door to the Lieutenants room slid open with a beep, finally allowing Vale inside. Stepping inside the soldier wasn’t prepared to see the room in such a state of disarray. Pillows lay on the floor in front of the bed, bed sheets bundled up on the edge of the bed no longer tucked under the mattress. Moving further into the room she passed the corner that obstructed the rest the bed. There was a knife stuck into the synthetic headboard, half in, half out. </p><p>Looking to the center of the room Vale could see Alex, sitting with her head hung low in only a bra and sweat pants. Hair disheveled with strands loose from her ponytail, looked like it hadn’t been throughly washed in a few days. The Sniper just sat there, unmoving, almost dead if the Major didn’t know any better. Her hands where open, lacking any mechanical tension at all, elbows on her knees. I was like the woman had just gone through hell or had narrowly escaped an assassination attempt. Vale set down the coffee cups on a near by table, slowly and quietly trying her hardest to not startle the sniper. </p><p>“Why are you in my room?” Alex said suddenly, not looking up as her hands began to clench and release. Stopping the CO in her motion to set the cups down, the tone was accusatory like there was no justification for Vale being there. </p><p>“I haven’t seen you in days.” The Major finishing her motion and placing the coffee down on the table. “I was....worried” </p><p>“Since when? You suddenly start caring?” Alex asked, once again her attitude was confrontational and accusatory. Tilting her head to the side so she could eye the cups on the table, the sight making her laugh almost cynically. “Really?” </p><p>“What? Suddenly don’t like coffee?” Vale fired back, not at all amused by the way the Lieutenant was addressing her commanding officer. It made Alex look at her with narrowed eyes. </p><p>Grabbing a chair from the table the major positioned it so that she sat across from the sniper and slightly off kilter. Closer to the table than the Lieutenant. Vale then reached for her cup of joe and leaned back in her chair as she took a sip of her coffee. Sighing audibly so that Alex could see that she was going to get comfortable and not be easily scared off. Alex watched her the entire time, analyzing every move and every action. It was no use trying to get the Major to leave, might as well play along. </p><p>“I doubt you made my coffee rig~” </p><p>“Black” Vale interrupted, tapping the side of her mug confidently and smirking when she heard an annoyed grunt come from the sniper. Alex sat up slowly, making direct eye contact with her CO as she grabbed her mug and slowly took a sip. It was black, the way she always drank it. </p><p> </p><p>“Why the fuck are you here?” Alex asked, still skeptical of Vale’s motives. As if no one person could ever just simply worry about the other after an incident like that. </p><p>“I’ve already told you.” Vale answered, lifting her cup for another sip of her drink, feeling the caffeine gradually do it’s job.  </p><p>“Yeah, and I don’t buy it.” Alex stated, the grip on her mug rather tight. Tighter than is should ever need to be to simply drink. </p><p>“Why?” Vale inquired, setting the mug down on the table. Throwing one arm over the back of the chair and crossing her legs while she waited for an answer. </p><p>“I don’t have to tell you.” Alex challenged with a low growl in her voice. Annoyed with how, at home, Vale was making herself in the lieutenants own room. “I don’t need you.” </p><p>“Hmph. I’d beg to differ.” Vale said smugly, liking the way Alex was on the back foot. That fact that the sniper gave no actual reason and was so up in arms that quickly, put the Major on good ground. </p><p>“Fuck you.” Alex hissed, pissed off by the sheer audacity of the woman before her. “The hell does that mean?” </p><p>“The cave.” Vale clarified, reaching with her off hand to take another drink from her cup. Watching Alex’s behavior change from pure anger to a mix of anxiety and anger. Her foot beginning to tap on the ground in a nervous fashion accompanied by a puff of air leaving the woman’s nostrils.</p><p> “Something happened to you in that cave. Something that drove you insane enough to stab me.” Vale continued, tapping the bandaging on her shoulder with a singular finger. “What happened?” </p><p>Alex leaned forward, elbows on her knees, coffee in hand, as her mind started to think about what she saw. The blood leaking from her mothers eyes as her jaw stretched to an ungodly length. The sight was horrifying and made even worse when the sounds she heard came into the picture. How the figures would whisper her name in dead moans, something that even covering her ears wouldn’t silence. The tapping of her feet getting faster, as her mind screamed at itself to stop thinking about what she saw. Vale was paying attention the entire time. Taking note of every single nervous movement the sniper made, the moving of one hand to hold her head up. </p><p>“Alex.” Vale called, trying to snap the woman out of her anxious trip. Alex let out a heavy sigh and then sat back in her chair to look at Vale. “What did you see?” </p><p>“I don’t...I don’t want to think about it.” Alex said reflexively, she hated thinking about anything to do with her past. They gave her frequent nightmares that tortured her to no end. </p><p>“You need to.” Vale responded, looking the woman dead in the eyes. Alex growled and took another sip of her coffee, foot tapping on the floor even faster. </p><p>“Fuck. You.” Alex retorted, not breaking eye contact with her commanding officer. The insult made Vale chuckle softly to herself which only added fuel to the already confused and raging fire inside the sniper.</p><p>“Fuck me. Go ahead.” Vale challenged smugly, knowing full well what those words would do to Alex’s temperament. Sure enough and audible scoff left the Lieutenants mouth.</p><p>“I figured you didn’t care. Just wanted in my pants.” Alex said victoriously, feeling as though she had figured it all out. Vale just wanted to fuck the sniper, nothing more, she didn’t give a damn about what she saw in the cave or how nightmares plagued her sleep. </p><p>“Oh no, I care. You just won’t let me in, so guess I gotta play petty.” </p><p>Alex’s narrowed her eyes in a glare, taken back by the Major’s words. Why the hell wouldn’t she just leave? Let the Lieutenant deal with it herself. She’d done it for so many years suppressed her demons day after day, night after night, and year after year. Flashes of what she saw in the cave flooded to the surface after having just been beaten back, breaking through the boundaries of her mind. Flash after flash, Alex grew more anxious and angry until her blood boiled. In a fit of rage Alex shot up from her chair, turned and then hurled her coffee at the wall behind her. Smashing the coffee mug against the wall and splattering the liquid across it’s surface. Leaving it to drip down to the floor. </p><p>Yelling in frustration her hands found their way to her hair and wove their fingers through strands of hair. The display startled Vale a tiny bit, but not enough to lose composure. Her arm still draped over the chair and her legs still crossed, bringing the coffee to her lips for a drink. All the while she watched the woman pace to the corner of the room, until a very peculiar sight caught the soldiers eye. </p><p>Scars, scars that covered the entirety of the Lieutenants back, criss crossed in their pattern. Only separated in the middle by the secondary mechanical spine that ran down her back. Shallow but long, rough and sporadic in their pattern like lacerations, as if some one cut her with something repeatedly. They looked healed, almost touched up by a doctor but if that were the case then why weren’t the entirely gone. Syndicate Systems had the technology, even Silver Lining had the capability to perform restorative tissue procedures. The question in Vale’s mind now was, what kind of past did this poor girl have? </p><p>“Alex what...” Vale began, but was cut off by Alex whipping around with regret in her eyes. No one was meant to see her scars, not close friends, or even family. </p><p>“You weren’t....you weren’t supposed to see that..”Alex said, her voice getting caught up in her throat as tears started to form in her eyes. “No one was supposed to see...” </p><p>“Alex it’s fine...” Vale reassured, slowly rising from her chair and cautiously making her way toward the Lieutenant, but stopping as she saw her back peddle toward the wall. </p><p>“I’m scared...” The sniper whimpered, arms crossed and holding either side of her body in an insecure fashion, shivering and shaking with fear. </p><p>“What are you scared of?” Vale asked, staying right where she was. Now wasn’t the time to scare the poor girl, she already had enough going on in that head of hers. </p><p> “I hear voices...I see things...everyday. Nightmares every night.” </p><p>“Nightmares of what?” </p><p>“I-If I told you...you’d leave.” Alex let herself sink down to the floor as more bad memories flooded to the forefront of her mind. Kicking the metaphorical legs out from underneath from her and then drowning her in a pool of fear and doubt. </p><p>“Do you want me to leave?” Vale proposed, as a test to disprove the sniper’s self-deprecating assumptions. Kneeling down, the major look calmly into the woman’s green eyes, they pleaded for some one to help to save them. </p><p>“N-No...” Alex sniffled, as the liquid that had built up in her ducts began to run down her cheeks until it reached her jawline. When it dangled before falling into her curled up lap. </p><p>“Then I won’t go anywhere.” Vale assured, holding out her hand for Alex to take when she was ready. When ever that will be. “I’ll stay no matter what you tell me. No matter how bad the story, I’m here. For you.” </p><p>Alex lurched forward and hugged the soldier, desperate for something to hold onto. Something that could ground her thoughts to the real world, and get rid of all the bad memories. Wrapping her arms around Vale’s back while burying her face in the crook of the soldiers neck. A shaky breath escaped her lips and it ran along the Major’s collar bone making Vale shudder. Shocked initially, the hardened leader eventually leaned into the hug and reciprocated it. Her hands struggled to find a position to hold from as she was still hesitant to touch the scars that lined the snipers back. </p><p>Minutes passed and they remained in that position, gradually Vale got over her hesitation and wrapped her arms around the lower of the Lieutenants back. Running one hand gently over the scars, as she quietly shushed any cries that left the younger woman. Providing an anchor for Alex to steadily get control of her mind again. After another couple of minutes passed Alex leaned back from Vales neck and looked into her eyes. They weren’t judgmental, they weren’t accosting her for her break down. </p><p>A sudden urge came over the sniper while sitting in the soldiers lap Alex looked to her lips and then back to her eyes. After repeating the look twice, the Lieutenant pushed forward and placed her lips onto the Major very own. It was soft, but also an open admission of her feelings. She had an attraction for the woman before her. </p><p>It took a second for Vale to process what was happening, but it came and she allowed for the eager woman to deepen the kiss. Tightening the hug to lengthen the action, Alex was timid in her kiss and left it to the Major to determine the depth and the passion. Several times Alex would pull back in a shy manner, causing Vale to chase and pull her back in with a heated and deep kiss </p><p>Heated, aroused, and breathless from their exchange the two pulled back to catch their breath and take in what just happened. Making eye contact for a brief second, Alex was the one to break it as she averted her gaze. A soft pink flush spreading across her cheeks as a bashful smile took over her lips. Vale chuckled at how shy the girl was being, like a kid too excited to say anything after receiving a piece of candy. </p><p>“A simple ‘I love you’ would’ve sufficed” Vale teased, earning an even darker shade of pink to rise to the snipers cheeks. </p><p>The Major then brushed said cheeks gently with a thumb, there wasn’t much going back now. The girl had her sights on Vale’s heart and had just pulled the trigger. Which in hindsight, only finalized the feelings between the two, the soldier had been falling for the the sniper since she first learned of her attraction. Leaning forward she nuzzled the nose of her little sniper, smiling when she received a nuzzle of her own from Alex.</p><p>“You feeling better.” Vale whispered, due to their close proximity there was no need to be loud; and in all honestly it was the right tone to use anyway since emotions where high. </p><p>“Mhmm.” Alex hummed, wrapping her arms around her Major’s neck and pressing her forehead to the soldiers. </p><p>“Oh, you’re too precious.” Vale giggled, pulling Alex in closer as she stood up with her and moved to the bed so they had a better place to sit. </p><p>“Shut up.” Alex muttered embarrassed by what she had done despite loving it beyond belief. She wanted to kiss that beautiful woman again. </p><p>“Mmmm. No.” Vale said defiantly, leaning into kiss Alex again, purring as their lips make contact and hold for a few seconds. Alex sighed in defeat as the Major began to trail a finger over the scars the lined the snipers back. </p><p>“Are you going to tell me how you got these?” The Major asked, which made Alex tense up but not as much as earlier. She felt safe in the woman’s arms, the sniper could actually think clearly and not feel like the world was going to collapse around her. Her hands still shook and her body would get antsy, but her mind was safe. </p><p>“I...N-Not here.” Alex mumbled while it was her room the Lieutenant felt out of place. Glancing around it was still a wreck, and that knife...that knife was still jammed into her bed frame. “D-Did I do that?” </p><p>“I don’t know, you tell me.” Vale shrugged and as Alex laid her head down on the soldiers shoulder in exasperation. </p><p>“Fuck. Alex what is wrong with you...?” The sniper mumbled into Vale’s skin. </p><p>“So my room?” Vale proposed, nuzzling the side of Alex’s head while also kissing it. “You can shower if you’d like.” </p><p>“Y-You’d let me into your room?” The Lieutenant said surprised to be given the privilege of staying in the commanding officer’s room. It sounded naughty but also she really wanted to try it. </p><p>“Yeah.”  </p><p>~Cont~</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Old Wounds pt2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 4: Old Wounds pt2</p><p>Vale stood up and set Alex down on the floor, while making sure to grab the sniper’s hand. Leading Alex by the hand, the Major dragged her to the door of the room, opening it she peered out to check the hall way. It was best to make sure the coast was clear, knowing Alex would die if someone caught them like this. </p><p>With it clear Vale dragged the woman out of her room, down the hall taking several turns. Arriving a hallway in which the door where more spaced out, hinting that the suites were much larger. Arriving at the end if the hall Vale quickly opened her door and yanked the sniper inside. </p><p>Alex was awestruck by the sheer difference between the two room. This one had to be at least twice the size of hers and it came with everything. A kitchen, full size shower and bath, and a super king sized bed. A lounging area the faced a wall of large glass windows allowing for a view of the whole valley. Next to the lounge there set a cabinet, inside were bottles of alcohol, ranging from the most expensive to the cheapest bottle of piss you could buy. </p><p>“Wow, you’re living the highlife.” Alex gawked, leaning down toward the cabinet to read the names of the different bottles. All with their own weird and interesting shape and name. </p><p>“I would be, if I ever drank that is.” Vale said, leaning against the wall that lead to the door of her room. Casually watching the sniper analyze her room, a smile plastered on her face.</p><p>“I’m sorry. What?” The Lieutenant looked back to her Major with a face that had disbelief and confusion sprawled across it. “You don’t drink?” </p><p>“No. Not while on deployment at least.” The Major confirmed, pushing off from the wall and walking to the center of the room. “Some of the worst tactical decisions in history were made while the commanding officer was drunk.”</p><p>“I’m gonna have to break you out of that at least once.” Alex declared, there was no way she could leave such exquisite drinks go to waste because Vale didn’t get tipsy.  </p><p> </p><p>“You can try.” Vale seemed unease’d by the challenge but she didn’t object whole heartedly. She had learned from her own personal experience what drunken leading looked like. But it couldn’t hurt to have a couple off duty, would it? </p><p>“So you mentioned a shower?” Alex asked reminding the Major of her offer from earlier.</p><p>“Geez, I had no clue I was letting a gremlin into my home.” Vale mocked motioning the direction of her bathroom with her arm. Almost in a ‘help yourself’ type of fashion. </p><p>A cheeky smile on her face the sniper walked by the Major and into the bathroom. Immediately the Lieutenant was confronted with a choice, bath or shower, as there was both a walk-in shower and a rather large bath. Vale followed in soon after Alex and stood behind her right shoulder as she waited for her to decide. </p><p>“I’d recommend the bath, it’s really nice to just relax in.” Vale suggested, leaning with her arm on the sink counter. “Plus you have the time.” </p><p>“Mmm, yeah I’m inclined to agree.” Alex stepped over to the tub and turned on the water while eying all the body care products that lined the rim. There was one bottle in particular that caught her eye, grabbing it she turned to address her CO. “Bath bubbles really?” </p><p>“Yes, bath bubbles.” Vale muttered letting her head hang from embarrassment, as she tried to think of an excuse to toss the blame onto. “It was a uh...something that was left behind...um by the last person that had this room.” </p><p>“Hahaha! Oh nice try but this bottle is full.” Alex said, giving the bottle a little shake with a smug grin on her face. Turning around she popped the cap and then poured a good amount into the bath as the water started to build up. A good thirty seconds later the tub was full of water with bubbles that lay on the surface. “Could you uh...turn around?” </p><p>“Not even a, thank you? Wow.” The Major teased, earning an eye roll from the sniper as she stood and walked her way over to Vale. </p><p>Standing up on her tip toes she gave the soldier a peck on the lips. Which vale turned into something more as she lowered her head to kiss back. Wrapping her arms around the smaller woman’s back to give her a deeper kiss. This made Alex purr and reciprocate by wrapping her arms around Vale’s neck. It astonished the sniper that she could finally do this, she could place her lips upon the Major’s. It was like a dream come true. </p><p>“How’s that?” Alex said with sly smile, leaning back while using the arms around Vale’s neck to hold her up. </p><p>“It’ll do I suppose.” Vale grinned and nuzzled the sniper’s nose making her blush and push away.  “I’ll turn around now.” </p><p>Alex shook her head with the blush still present, as Vale turned the sniper began to get undressed. Starting with her bra, she undid the latch and then tossed it onto the counter, like she owned the place. Then her sweat pants came next followed by her underwear, until she was stark naked. Stepping up to the tub she put one foot in and fell the warm water lap at her skin making her shiver. She put in the other foot and then sat down. A relaxed sigh escaped the snipers lips as she laid her head back on the edge of the tub. </p><p>“Enjoying yourself?” Vale interrupted, having already turned around and starting at the sniper lounging in her bath. </p><p>“I didn’t say you could turn around.” Alex stated, rolling her head to look at the soldier. To which the Major just shrugged, which was fair as this was her bathroom. “What if wasn’t in the water yet?” </p><p>“Then I’d get a nice view.” Vale said smugly, which got a glare mixed with a tongue and cheek smile from the sniper. “So are you going to tell me what’s got you so fucked up?” </p><p>“Right...” Alex sighed, really hoping she could delay the eventual question for as long as possible. “It’s a long story.” </p><p>“I’ve got time.” The Major insisted, looking at the tactical watch around her forearm. “So lets hear it.” </p><p>Alex sighed before dipping her head into the water and letting her hair get fully wet. Lifting her head up she brought up her right leg to use as an anchor and then let her head lay back on the edge of the tub. Closing her eyes, causing memories to come back to the forefront of her mind. Groaning she turned to look at the soldier who leaned against the wall now. </p><p>“Remember how you said Arcadia was a frozen shit hole?” Alex mumbled. </p><p>“Well I said hell, not shit, but yeah.” Vale replied shrugging. “I did apologi~” </p><p>“No, don’t say that word” Alex said suddenly cutting off the Major. “Arcadia is a shitty place. I fucking hate my home world.” </p><p>“Oh....there a reason?”</p><p>“Yeah. I’m getting to it.” Alex said with a sigh. “My planet has been locked in a war for decades. Thessians and Valarians hate each other for reasons I’d rather not get into the details of.” </p><p>“I heard recently it’s turned into a cold war.” Vale interjected. </p><p>“Good, it means both sides have blown each other to near oblivion.” Alex chuckled cynically, moving one cybernetic arm out of the water to rest it on the edge of the tub. </p><p>“You must really hate your home world.” Vale remarked, taking in how funny it seemed to the sniper. </p><p>“You’re god damn right I do.” Alex turned her head to look absentmindedly at a wall, day dreaming. “If I could nuke it from orbit I would.” </p><p>“Alex...you can’t mean that.” Vale tried to reason, concerned with the anger bleeding from the Lieutenant.</p><p>“Oh if only you knew what they did to me! What they did to my family!” Alex yelled suddenly in an outburst of anger, eyes locked onto the Major’s. Deadly serious.</p><p>“Then what did they do?” Vale insisted, raising her voice slightly. Tired of asking and getting only half baked answers. “What did they do to your family?” </p><p>Alex was taken back by the Major’s change in volume, she wasn’t used to being yelled at by her. It unsettled her and made the snipers anxiety skyrocket, her hands began to clench and release over and over. The Lieutenant sat up from her relaxed position allowing the upper portions of her scars to be seen after the bubbles slid off. Vale could see she shift in Alex’s demeanor and immediately felt guilty. Sighing she stepped up to the side of the bath tub she then laid her head down on her arms.</p><p>“Alex...” Vale called quietly trying to get the anxious woman’s attention. It seemed to work partially as the snipers head turned but the gaze of her green eyes still averted. “It’s alright. Okay?” </p><p>“It’s really not..” Alex mumbled, leaning towards her major to press her forehead against hers. “I’m so broken..” </p><p>“You aren’t that broken, I can fix the cracks.” Vale assured, brushing the side of her lieutenants cheek which Alex eagerly leaned into like she hadn’t been touched that way in a long time. </p><p>“My parents weren’t the most affluent people....we were...lower middle class. Lived on the outskirts of the Valarian capital.” </p><p>“Were they slums?” </p><p>“No, the actual slums were way worse. But we lived no less than a few blocks from them.” </p><p>“I see.” Vale whispered intently listening to the tale of her new companion. </p><p>“It wasn’t much but it was better than the alternative. It was peaceful for the most part, the usual street gangs and that such. My Mother worked for a biochemical company in the capital, long hours, my Father was a security guard he worked nights while Mom worked days.” </p><p>“And those were lower middle class occupations?” Vale questioned, shocked by the jobs her parents worked and the contrast of their living conditions. </p><p>“Yeah, unfortunately. The economy wasn’t the best after being in conflict for roughly a decade.” </p><p>“Oh. I see.” </p><p>“Our life was decent and I was happy. But in Thessia their people hated Valarians and they had no qualms with showing it in the worst ways possible. Funding terrorism was their predominant form of entertainment.” </p><p>“Sounds like a bunch of blood thirsty animals.” Vale grumbled, terrorist were the worst kinds of human beings. They killed indiscriminately and show little remorse in doing so. </p><p>“Valarians were the same way. One day our town was targeted and the Thessians stormed our house. Kicked down the door and hit my father before he could get to his gun. I remember hearing my mother scream from the kitchen as they grabbed her. It’s what made me check to see what was happening.” </p><p>“When you say they ‘hit’ what do you mean?” Vale asked, hoping she wasn’t going over her bounds in doing so. </p><p>“They....” Alex stopped as the memory replayed in her mind. Vale could see how the lieutenants hands clenched in anger, the servos whirring and tightening. “They shot him, laid him out like he was some animal to be exterminated.” </p><p>“Then they grabbed my mother and I, put bags over our heads and tossed us into the back of a truck. I was terrified and crying, roughly 15 at the time, I remember waking up in a cave after being thrown into a cell. They made sure to separate me and my mother.”</p><p>“Fucking animals.” Vale felt angry for the sniper, how could anyone do something so cruel to a child? Take their father from them and kidnap them? It was disgusting to hear. </p><p>“I shared a cell with another woman, i was nervous to talk to her as she seemed ominous and powerful. Her clothes were exotic however they were covered in mud. It was clear she’d been in there for a good while. After a couple days I stopped crying and gained the nerve to talk to her.” </p><p>“Who was she?” </p><p>“Her name was Tassyn, she was apparently~” </p><p>“The founder of Silver Lining.” Vale gasped, surprised by Alex having shared a cell with the founder of Silver Lining. Tassyn was a brilliant strategist and had created the organization from scratch while still crushing competitor after competitor. </p><p>“Yeah...I asked her how she ended up there and she told me about the raid on on Valarian city a hundred miles away. They’d taken her hostage, planning to hold her for ransom.”</p><p>“Big mistake.” Vale chuckled.</p><p>“At first things seemed simple they’d just hold us in the cell and occasionally feed us.” Alex began to laugh which made Vale concerned, nothing so far was humorous enough to warrant it. After several unnerving seconds of one sided laughter Alex calmed down. “Fuck I was so naive.” </p><p>“Why do you say that?” Vale wondered as tears began to well up in the snipers eyes while the horrors started to fester and show their ugly heads in her mind. </p><p>“Because things on-only got worse.” Alex muttered tensing her body as she could hear the sounds of whips cracking and her own screams replay like a recording in her head. Her voice choking up as the tears dripped from her eyes. </p><p>Vale kissed the lieutenant on the  cheek and then proceeded to wipe away the tear as her little sniper cried. She gently cooed and hushed away soft sobs as the wormed their way from the bottom of Alex’s throat. </p><p>“I’m scared...I want out.” Alex said abruptly standing not really caring what Vale saw of her. Being the polite soldier she was, Vale quickly averted her gaze and grabbed a towel from the cubby that was next to the bath. </p><p>Holding it open she gestured for Alex to step out of the shower, the lieutenant followed instructions and leaned into the towel. Vale then wrapped it around her and tenderly hugged her, while supplying loving kisses to her right cheek. The Major could feel the shaking in that emanated from the towel wrapped body. Carefully the soldier started to dry the sniper off, doing her best to not look. Once Alex was dry the Major guided her out of the bathroom. </p><p>“Come on, beautiful.” Vale ushered, leading her out to the bed and motioning for her to sit. She did so and with that the soldier stepped to her dresser and started to rummage for something fresh to wear. </p><p>“Come on. Come on!.....There we go!” She exclaimed pulling out pair of briefs and and a t-shirt that was probably a few sizes larger than Alex was. Handing them over she then turned and waited for Alex to get dressed. </p><p>Thirty seconds later there was a tug on the back of Vales clothes and she turned back. Scooping up the woman, she was then placed into her lap and hugged protectively. The Major nuzzling into Alex’s hair as she rubbed her arms in a soothing fashion. </p><p>“On the the fourth day....” Alex murmured, breaking the silence, her head leaning against Vale’s chest. “...they g-grabbed me by the ankles...and they...fuck...they dragged me out of that cell. Took me to a room that had only one light in the center.” </p><p>“Made me strip out of my clothes while they watched, then tied me rope on either side of room. P-Put me on my knees and then pulled the ropes till my arms spread out” </p><p>Alex began to shake and sob, all Vale could do was whisper gently and hush the sniper. Tightening the hug to dull the shaking and make the woman feel more anchored. Eventually the crying fell to a manage able levels and Alex continued her story. </p><p>“...t-they....those fuckers...they whipped me...without remorse and i-it wasn’t just the m-men...the w-women would join in...until I bled...” </p><p>“Then where they w-were done with me...” Alex growled through tears, as anger began to flare up through her sadness. </p><p>“I’d get tossed back into the cell until they were ready to abuse me again...I cried...I cried each and every time, sometimes until it was hard to breathe. There were times where the soldiers beat me back to back, not letting my injuries heal. T-the only s-solace I had was Tassyn...she would hold me as I cried and use the fabric from her clothing to clear my wounds...” </p><p>“Those fuckers beat me...a fifteen year old girl...whipped me until I fucking bled.” Alex repeated through hopeless hiccups and sobs, reliving the memories in her head so vividly. </p><p>“It’s okay, sweetie. You’re here not there.” Vale whispered, delicately running her hand up and down the lieutenants back. </p><p>“It got to the point where I couldn’t feel anything...my back was just numb..” Alex whimpered. </p><p>“They would never touch Tassyn...never... only me...afraid of what she could do. And they were right to, two months later her men showed up and slaughtered them all like animals...no hesitation.” </p><p>“When they freed us she told her men to capture the leader alive...had him presented before me...Tassyn placed a gun in my hand and let me do as I pleased.” </p><p>“Did you follow through?” Vale whispered curiously while brushing the sniper’s cheek. </p><p>“I unloaded two rounds into his knee caps.  But that wasn’t enough, I was angry and wanted more, I wanted him to feel the pain I had felt.” She growled, thinking about the amount of anger running through her at that moment. “...one of her men had a pair of brass knuckles...he gave it to me and I-I went to town. I beat that man until I caved in his skull.” </p><p>Alex leaned into Vale’s arms and sighed shuddering while her memory slowly began to fade. Suppressing themselves to the furthest recesses of her mind, al she wanted to dwell on now was the feeling of her Major’s loving embrace. </p><p>“You don’t have to take care of me.” Alex said quietly. Vale sighed and then laid back with the lieutenant still in her arms. </p><p>“I know but I want to, I love you.” Vale rumbled. With Alex being so close it there was no point in trying to speak loudly so she could use her bed voice. Her bed voice was more ragged and rumbly, it sounded like a large cat from earth. </p><p>“You sound like a lion.” Alex said with a soft and tired chuckle. </p><p>“Do you even know what a lion sounds like?” Vale questioned, eyebrow raised doubtfully. </p><p>“No...but I can imagine.” Alex said with a cheeky smile. </p><p>“Right....” The Major teased, nuzzling her sniper’s nose earning an adorable almost childish giggle. “We should sleep.” </p><p>Alex whimpered but reluctantly sat up and began to crawl over the bed, only to be grabbed at the waist and yanked back onto it. </p><p>“Where do you think you’re going?” </p><p>“To bed?” </p><p>“Oh no, you’re sleeping here.” Vale laughed. </p><p>“W-Wait really?” Alex gasped, only to have it answered with a deep kiss while being pushed over and kept in the Major’s bed. Both of them giggling.</p><p>~End~</p>
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<a name="section0007"><h2>8. A Good Morning</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 5: A Good Morning</p><p>A pair of green eyes slowly woke, hazy and overly sensitive to light causing them to squint. They were followed by a quiet yawn escaping from the sniper’s mouth as she stretched. Not yet registering the warm body sleeping next to her. After her awaking was complete the Lieutenant had time to actually take in where she was.  The sleeping figure next to her, as it’s chest slowly rose and then fell with a subsequent exhale through it’s nostrils. At first Alex was confused, making her push back a little bit and sit up on her side with the support of her arm. </p><p>But as she thought about it, the events from last night all came back to her. The way Vale was so willing to help the sniper out of her shell. How kind it was for her to let a stranger, for the most part, into her home. Even the coffee, that Alex threw against the wall, but it was still a sweet gesture. Though she had to admit, it was all strange to her and made her nervous in some regards. No one had ever taken the time of day to care for her since the loss of her parents. </p><p>Except for Tassyn of course, the woman took Alex in under her wing after the tragedy. It was safe to say that Tassyn had grown a little attached and protective over the girl. As any person with a sliver of a heart would, after seeing her be yanked from her cell and beat for no other reason than entertainment. The Director took her in and gave her fresh clothes, medicine for the scars on her back, food for her aching belly, and a place for her to feel safe. The last of those was the hardest, nearly every night the caring woman was startled awake by the sounds of screaming and crying. Alex never had a restless night sleep from that point on, always forced to battle nightmares for every ounce of rest she could get. </p><p>The scars on her back might have been, the most noticeable and sure they looked to have been painful. But, they ran no where near as deep as the damage that had been done to the sniper’s psyche. The soul was a fragile thing, even more so in her case. She trusted very little and spent most of the day hearing voices, which she would often believe were her parents. Coming to her in an attempt to tell her how much they loved her one last time. </p><p>As Alex ruminated over how kind the Major had been to her while looking over the soldier’s body. How her chest would rise and fall, the muscle that toned her body, how every little scar was healed to perfection. It was a sight to be admired, however, there was one detail that kept dragging Alex’s attention away from the rest. The bandaging that covered the Major’s shoulder, a result from the chaotic struggle in the caves a week prior. Looking at the white bandaging Alex felt guilt claw at her heart. How could she have been so out of it?</p><p>Scooting closer, the sniper carefully analyzed the covering. Laying back down on her side, closer to the woman she had an undeniable attraction to. Alex began to slowly and cautiously peel back the layers of bandaging, eager to see the damage she had actually caused. Without all the blood and tears in her eyes. Adhesive straps began to peel off from skin emitting a tearing sound as the adhesive broke its connection with the Major’s skin. The sound was quiet, but so was the rest of the room. Inducing some worry of waking the Major in the sniper. </p><p>A soft grumbling sound left the Major’s throat, which made Alex immediately pull back her hands fearful of being caught. But the noise was simply a sleepy groan that had no real meaning, so Alex resumed her actions. Eventually as the wrap was pulled back to a degree she was able to see some of what she’d done. The wound was the width of roughly an inch and a quarter, and half an inch above the collar bone. Thinking about the harm she had caused was one thing, but seeing it was another. </p><p>Her heart skipped a beat, and not in a good way, it felt like it had in the cave. A hand wrapped around the lively muscle, constricting it’s vital beating. Guilt and shame seeped from the hand into her heart and through the rest of her veins. Until her entire body felt weighed down and trapped in a cycle of unfinished beats and fear. </p><p>“What are you doing?” A voice asked, quiet and uncertain. Startling the sniper enough to make her gasp and draw her hands back immediately, burying them in her lap as she tried to act coy. Her eyes cast down to avoid making eye contact. </p><p>Vale sat up and scooted back against the head board so she didn’t have to hold her self up. Yawning, the soldier stretched by pushing her arms up into the air, causing the peeled back bandaging to tickle the side of her face. It was then that she noticed it, what the Lieutenant had been fiddling with while she slept. Alex felt her heart sink as she expected to be yelled at, since she hadn’t asked or even considered waiting. </p><p>“Were you~” Vale began, pulling off the rest of the bandaging as it was of no use with the adhesive bong broken. </p><p>“I-I’m sorry...I...I was...I just wanted to see it...I-I should’ve asked...I’m sorry.” Alex blurted out cutting Vale off. Fearful of upsetting the only other person who knew her past and willing accepted her. Vale simply raised her eyebrow, admittedly taken back by the Lieutenants sudden apology. After noticing Alex’s behavior Vale sighed. </p><p>“Alex, come here.” Vale said while suddenly yawning and patting her lap. She didn’t really care, Alex was just worried and it was clear by the way she acted. Hesitant to move from her spot at first, though the second Vale opened her arms gesturing for a hug Alex gave in. She slowly worked her way into the soldiers strong arms, straddling the woman’s lap and nuzzling into the soldier’s neck. </p><p>Vale then wrapped her arms around the sniper’s back holding her close as she could feel the tension in Alex’s body. Gradually, she began to rub up and down across the scars that dotted the length of it, which seemed to do the trick. The rigidity faded and the Lieutenant was able to calm down and lean into her Major more for security. Though it wasn’t all gone as a quiet whimper, only heard due to the proximity of the woman to Vale’s ear, emanated from her. Prompting Vale to say something to easy the thoughts in her Lieutenant’s mind. </p><p>“I’m not upset with you...” Vale replied, still semi-groggy. Her hands still working as she turned her head to place a kiss on the side of Alex’s cheek. “...and that wound isn’t anything I care about.” </p><p>“But I hurt you.” Alex mumbled into a strong shoulder. Earning a light hearted chuckled from the woman under her. </p><p>“Mmm, a lot of people have done that.” The soldier pointed out, referring to the numerous times she’d been shot or stabbed by someone in combat. </p><p>“But I didn’t want to, they did!” Came the protest from the twenty six year old. Alex, never in her wildest imaginations, would she dare lay a harmful finger on Vale. But, it would seem, reality had a way of doing things that people could never imagine. </p><p>“Fair, but the thing is I knew you wouldn’t have if you were in control.” Vale retorted, nuzzling the side of her lover’s face and then planting another kiss before smirking to herself. “You’re too fond of me to ever do that” </p><p>Alex feel a little heat rush to her cheeks as she blushed and found herself chuckling at Vale’s teasing remark. She sat back up and started to glare at her superior officer while struggling to beat back a smile. Vale wasn’t wrong. </p><p>“Shut up.” Alex chided, before she found her eyes dragged back to the same place they had been before all this. </p><p>That scar, with the bandage peeled off slightly she could see it fully, the healed wound was pale in comparison to the rest of Vale’s tanned skin. But even with said discoloration it still didn’t look out of place given all the others that dotted her body. Except to Alex, she knew how it got where it was, who caused it and the guilt that plagued them. It was enough to make her sudden jovial attitude swoop back down into pit. </p><p>The sniper’s head drooped and her eyes did their best to avoid looking at the Major entirely. Something that didn’t go un-noticed by her commanding officer as a finger swept up to catch the green eye’s chin. </p><p>“Hey.” Vale called softly, trying to get the Lieutenant’s attention. It was unsuccessful as Alex looked away calmly only to have Vale tug back and keep her focused.</p><p>“I’m only going to say this one time.” Vale explained, sitting up so she could place her forehead to the sniper’s. “I’m not going to hold things against you that you didn’t intend, okay?” </p><p>“Okay...” Alex mumbled, earning a soft smile from her Major. Vale then looked to the side of her bed at her night stand, where there sat a clock with a holographic display of the time. </p><p>It read 7:40 AM. </p><p>Judging by that time first patrol would’ve already left the base and have started on their sweep of the perimeter. There was a change in patrols ever three hours to keep security tight despite being on a backwater planet that had little value. Yet Syndicate Systems did have it’s fair share of rivals, who no doubt wanted some sneak peak on their competitor’s operations. With a yawn Vale turned back to the woman who was straddling her lap.</p><p>“What do you say we go get some breakfast and coffee, hmm?” The Major suggested quietly, lightly patting Alex’s thighs which got a blush out of the sniper and a nod in response to her question. </p><p>“Come on, let’s get dressed.”</p><p>Alex moved from her position on the Major’s lap and stepped off the bed, followed by Vale. Grabbing her fatigues from the back of a chair Alex slipped them on and then proceeded to stretch to her toes with a low groan. Holding out her hands she opened and closed her fists while examining them for any glitches in the movement of her digits. Everything checked out after several tests, looking up in time chance to catch Vale shirtless. </p><p>Fortunately for her nerves she wasn’t able to see the front. But, was more than able to get a good long ogle at the muscle that lined the woman’s back. They were strong and defined, not too defined yet just enough for the sniper to give it her undivided attention. It was unbelievable and some rather insubordinate thoughts began to swirl in her head. A single snap of a finger was enough to snap her out of it. </p><p>“Something catch your eye?” Vale asked a smug grin on her face. </p><p>“I uhhh...ha ha ha...” Alex tried to think of something to say but she had nothing and it was clear as day, as the grin grew wider on the Major’s face. </p><p>“Mhmm” </p><p>Vale gestured towards the door with a bow like she had just finished a performance. Alex blushed bright red while making her way to the exit as quickly as possible. Opening said door, Alex stepped out side and waited for the Major to follow. Once both were outside they made their way toward the mess hall. It was quiet for the most part and it wasn’t broken until Vale spoke. </p><p>“How’d you sleep?” Vale wondered, remembering how Alex had been a couple week ago. Sleepy, coffee in hand, and a dead look in her eyes accompanied by dark rings. </p><p>“Alrig~...” The sniper began, but something caught her from giving the usual lie of ‘alright.’ She couldn’t remember anything about falling asleep or even being asleep. There weren’t any nightmares or violent interruptions that would cause the woman to awake with a yell. “There..” </p><p>“You good?” The Major checked, eyebrow raised tilting her head slightly to get a better read of Alex’s face. It was blank with confusion. </p><p>“There weren’t any nightmares...” She finally answered still baffled by the mere possibility that she could sleep normally for once in her life. </p><p>“Is that not...common?” </p><p>“No.” </p><p>As they entered the mess hall, the Lieutenant had her thoughts interrupted by Marcus who shouted in excitement at the sight of the sniper. Which made Alex even more confused than she already was. </p><p>“Hahaha! I fucking called it Carmine! Give me my hundred credits.” Marcus laughed, clearly proud of himself. Leaning over the back of his chair he rubbed his index and middle finger together waiting for the credits to be handed to him. </p><p>“Yeah yeah, don’t get too full of yourself.” Carmine grumbled, and begrudgingly slapped the credit chip into Marcus’ palm. </p><p>“Thank you.” The corpsman snickered, as Carmine rolled his eyes. </p><p>“The hell is going on?” Alex asked feeling like there was some shady business going on between the two. </p><p>“Ah! The Princess, she speaks!” Marcus exclaimed, continuing on with his celebratory antics. </p><p>“Marcus!” The sniper growled, not interested in playing games without her cup of coffee. </p><p>“Well you see, Princess.” He said, leaning back in his chair and propping his head up with both his hands. Even having the audacity to kick his feet up on the table. “Poor Carmine and I had a bet going.” </p><p>“And the bet was?” Alex probed further, growing impatient as a foot began to tap on the floor and her arms crossed. </p><p>“That the Major would be able to pull you out if your little slump.” He replied a smug grin directed at Vale followed by a thumbs up.</p><p>“Did you have any part in this?” Alex accused, turning to look at Vale who stood a few feet begin her and simply held her hands up, shrugged, and shook her head. </p><p>Alex shifted her glare back to Marcus and Carmine deeply annoyed that these two had the audacity to make a bet on her mental health. The Sniper was a few second from beating the man senseless; and if it weren’t for the rational hand that grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back, she would’ve. </p><p>“Relax and sit down. I’ll get you food and a drink okay?” Vale whispered, attempting to tame the angry sniper. Alex simply grumbled as she took a seat across from Marcus glaring at him none stop. </p><p>“Fine.” </p><p>~End~</p>
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<a name="section0008"><h2>9. Soldier Confidentiality</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Chapter 6 : Soldier confidentiality. </p>
<p>~One Week Later~ </p>
<p>Combat boots slipped into thick mud, a patrol walked the perimeter of the base. Scanning for any signs of intrusion or tempering by wildlife. Three figures walked in a triangle formation, bodies clad in the dark grey body armor and harnesses. Mud sticking to their boots as they fought a battle with the putty to rip them from it’s sticky clutches. At the head of the triangle was Vale, whose tall figure stood out from the rest of group, her rifle slung over her shoulder as she walked. </p>
<p>Alex was to her right, rifle in her metallic arms cradled in the grooves of her elbows. Marcus was to the left, shotgun held in one hand and resting on the shoulder it was connected to. A light rain fell on the squad of soldiers as they trudged through the muddy and rocky terrain. Alex hated this planet with a passion, it could be so infuriating at times, she would kill for a chance at a vacation. </p>
<p>Without warning the sniper’s left leg sank deep into the mud causing her to fall into the mud. Dropping her rifle she managed to catch herself from going face first into the dark brown sludge. She sighed long and hard as she fought the urge to scream in anger. </p>
<p>“God fucking damnit.” She growled while fighting to pull her leg from the mud. Getting some help from Marcus as he held a hand out to assist in pulling. “I hate this planet.” </p>
<p>“Oh, it’s not that bad.” Marcus grunted, pulling his squad mate from her muddy predicament. Managing to free her after a good strong tug. Alex then wrapped her hands around her rifle and stood up with a long angry glare aimed at the corpsman. </p>
<p>“Are we going to just ignore the fact that I’m the one that got dragged into a god damn hole by fucking bugs?” Alex yelled, arms thrown out in an exasperated expression after slinging her rifle over her shoulder. “How the fuck is it, ‘not that bad’, huh?” </p>
<p>“I....okay, that’s fair.” Marcus conceded, putting his hands up in a mock surrender with a small smile spread across his lips. Which only made Alex more annoyed. </p>
<p>Today hadn’t been the best, to begin with Alex woke up late and had to rush while half asleep to get her gear on for work. Then in doing so she completely forgot to stop by the Mess hall to get her typical cup of coffee. Then she nearly passed out in the Leopard while Vale drove around, even at the first checkpoint the woman left her in the car because she was too kind enough to wake her. And now, to top it all off, her leg was half covered in mud that she would have to clean off later. </p>
<p>“Relax, you’re fine, just a little bit of mud” Vale said, finally turning around from surveying the area with her thermal binoculars. She then made her way back to the leopard, patting her girlfriend on the shoulder with a smile as she walked by.</p>
<p>Despite Alex’s obvious frustration it was difficult to stay angry when ever Vale told her to calm down. She knew this because she had tried several times and it was always inevitable that she’d cave in and find herself giving in to her lover’s requests. </p>
<p>With a defeated sigh Alex let her shoulders fall and began to walk her way back to the Leopard.Stepping up to the side of the vehicle, she placed one boot onto the step up and the other into the cab then plopped down rather violently. Not really caring if she shook the whole vehicle or not, as she laid her rifle in her lap with the barrel facing the floor board. Vale, who was watching her get in, simply raised her eyebrow. Something was definitely off. </p>
<p>“You...alright?” Vale asked, turning the vehicle on and pulling a u-turn to go back to base. </p>
<p>“I’m fine.” Alex replied rather sharply, which was unintentional and made her lie even less believable. Alex grumbled to herself and then turned away from vale looking out the side of the vehicle. </p>
<p>“Right...” Vale said with an eye roll, not at all convinced. Which Alex knew was probably the case. “You getting enough sleep?” </p>
<p>“Yeah.” The sniper answered quickly, which wasn’t true in the slightest. Ever since she’d left the Major’s room and went back to her own, the nightmares had returned and they began torturing her like they always had. </p>
<p>“You sure?” Vale tried one last time. “You can tell me anything, you know that already. Also I’d lose my job if I tell anyone....yah know, soldier confidentiality and all that jazz.” </p>
<p>Alex couldn’t help but chuckle and slightly smile at the Major’s joke. Then mentally cursed herself because it was loud enough that Vale had no doubt to heard it. Sure enough, she had, and she smiled to herself as she shifted the Leopard into another gear and followed the path steadily. Alex sighed soon after the gear shift, she might as well tell Vale, hiding it wouldn’t do much good. </p>
<p>“Th-The...nightmares...they came back.” Alex finally managed to mutter, her foot began to tap on the floorboard nervously. She could feel Vale take a quick glance at her before returning her eyes to the road. </p>
<p>In truth, Vale had a small suspicion that was the case. After another glance over at the sniper, she moved her hand from the gear shift and placed it on top of Alex’s own hand, which sat on the center console. The Sniper yanked her hand back startled by the sudden touch, turning to look at the woman sitting next to her. The Major made eye contact with the Lieutenant for a few moments and she seemed to calm down. Slowly Alex placed her hand back on the console, slipping metallic fingers underneath soft flesh as their fingers intwined. </p>
<p>The gently hold was calming and reassuring, something the tired sniper appreciated. She trusted Vale to a degree that no one but Tassyn knew. Not to the extent that she would readily divulge every issue of her life and every nightmare but enough to let them know about somethings. Most of it was just insecurities, things that she was afraid, things that made her fear full of what people would think if they ever found out. </p>
<p>Most of her worried stemmed from abandonment and loss. The Lieutenant was fearful that at every turn someone would either die or just leave her. Watching one parent get gunned down and never seeing the other ever again gad that affect on a little child. She didn’t feel comfortable taking any kind of medication for it or anything else she might have. Didn’t like the way they made her feel, not to mention she didn’t trust them all that much. </p>
<p>Once Vale pulled the Leopard into the motor pool and turned the vehicle off, her and the sniper shared eye contact for a brief moment. Eventually Alex sighed and pulled her metal hand from the Major’s and stepped out of the vehicle. Grabbing her rifle and ejecting the magazine and slipping it into one of the pouches of her tactical rig. Then she cycled the bolt back the loaded bullet flinging itself out the side of the rifle, Alex used the reflexes of her cybernetics to catch the round midair. </p>
<p>With the rifle unloaded and slung around the lieutenants right shoulder she began to walk out of the motor pool and to the main building. Vale was quick to catch on that Alex was leaving without really saying anything. So she jogged to catch up with the sniper, until they were walking side by side. </p>
<p>“The Platoon and I were planning on having a movie night in the mess hall. You gonna be there?” Vale asked curiously, reaching out to open the main door of the building so Alex could step in. The Lieutenant blushed at how sweet Vale could be, holding open doors, letting her sleep in leopard while on patrol. It made Alex feel warm, something that hadn’t happened in a long time.  </p>
<p>“Oh. I...” Alex hesitated, she was already so tired and uneasy that the last thing she wanted to do was have a movie night with the while platoon. Some of them could be quite the rowdy bunch, but the excited look on Vales face made her feel trapped. </p>
<p>She didn’t want to hurt the soldier’s feelings but at the same time she felt the weight if her body and how desperately it needed some kind of sleep. Why did she have to be caught in a moral dilemma at a time like this. She let out a long sigh before speaking. </p>
<p>“Vale, can I be honest?” The Lieutenant asked meekly, her head looking at the floor of the elevator they now stood in. </p>
<p>“You don’t want to come, do you?” The Major guessed, surprising Alex and making her blush while putting her hands out. </p>
<p>“N-N-No, that’s not~.”  </p>
<p>“I can see it in your eyes, you’re tired and you need rest. I understand” Vale intersected softly, her hand reaching up to brush Alex’s cheek. The soldier was entirely correct. </p>
<p>“I...I...yeah.” The sniper finally admitted, looking down at the floor. Feeling a little guilty for ditching out on the rest of the gang, especially Vale. </p>
<p>“Go get some rest. That’s an order.” Vale commanded with a chuckle, earning the cutest smile Alex had ever bared and a jab to the shoulder from a metal hand. They had reached the living quarters floor, so Vale let go of Alex and they both went their separate ways after making is some way down the hall. Though the major stopped half way down the corridor as Alex was just about to enter her room. </p>
<p>“2384” Vale called, causing Alex to tilt her head in confusing. </p>
<p>“What does that mean?” Alex hollered back, mind boggled by what that set of numbers could mean. </p>
<p>“You’ll figure it out.” The Major laughed, turning around and proceeding down until she turned off, out of sight, into the executive wing of the living quarters. </p>
<p>“The hell?” The sniper whispered to herself as she stepped into her room. </p>
<p>She made her way to the table and placed her rifle down gently, the thing was her baby and it should be treated as such. Then she flopped her butt onto her bed, starting the rather annoying process of taking all her gear off. Once she had gotten all of it off she made her way to the shower and took a quick rinse to get all the sweat and rain water off of her before bed. She hated sleeping sticky and sweaty, it was extremely uncomfortable to sleep in. Also body odor wasn’t the most pleasant smell known to man kind. Once she was all clean and smelling nice, the sniper pulled on a tank top and some briefs she jumped onto her bed and wormed her way under the sheets. It wasn’t long before she was passed out. The only questions was. </p>
<p>For how long?</p>
<p>~Midnight~</p>
<p>The lieutenant awoke with a start, rocketing up into a sitting position. Heart pounding out of her chest, sweat dripping from her forehead, and a panicked looked in her green eyes. She placed a hand over where her heart was, taking deep slow breaths. Trying to slow her heart rate so she could calm down. She silently cursed and swore at her mind for putting her through such torture. Sometimes she wished the memories of her past could just be forgotten. Unfortunately there were too many memories that she looked fondly upon to warrant that. </p>
<p>As she got a hold of herself Alex swung her legs over the side of the bed and lean forward. How long had she been asleep for? After rubbing her temples Alex looked over at the clock on the side of her bed. It was 12:30, when had she gone to bed? That was real determining factor. It couldn’t have been later than 8 or 8:30 so at most she’d gotten 4 hours. Which wasn’t anywhere close to the amount that she needed to recover from the lack of sleep she already had. </p>
<p>“Fuck.” She mumbled, rubbing her face as she wanted to go back to bed. But she was terrified of what her mind would put her through next. More lashing, waterboarding, the sight of her parents being murdered? </p>
<p>After thinking to herself for a minute, Alex decided there was only on thing she could do. Standing up from her bed she grabbed a pair of sweat pants from her dresser, which was scarcely populated with civilian clothes as she pretty much lived and breathed Silver Lining. Then she made her way out into the hall way and tried to listen for any yelling or loud laughter from the mess hall. There was none, the movie night was probably already over and everyone had made their way to their rooms. She took a left and walked down the hall way. </p>
<p>She hadn’t bothered to put anything on her feet, so she could feel the cold tiling of the floor as she padded with each step. Even the air was cooler than she liked, which caused her to shiver and cross bother her arms to keep a little bit warmer. It all reminded her slightly of Arcadia and she hated it, she fucking hated the frozen planet with a passion. Regardless of whether it was her home world or not she wanted that place to be wiped off the map. </p>
<p>The Lieutenant took another left, into the executive wing, she could feel herself get warmer in this section if the building. Whether that was because of it actually being warmer or just her body getting flustered and producing more body heat as she got closer to her goal, she didn’t know. Stepping up to a door Alex read the holographic plaque above the numpad next to the door. Thinking back to earlier the sniper tried to recall the number combination on the wild off chance that it was the combination to Vale’s room. </p>
<p>“2384, was it?” Alex questioned herself, then punching in the combination and beep sounded. The green eyed sniper felt her heart explode, the door had opened. </p>
<p>Alex couldn’t help but feel out of breath, nervous, and flustered all at the same time. How could Vale have been so trusting to give Alex the actual combination to her room? Why did she even do it in the first place? Alex had a hundred questions buzzing around in her head, all of them relatively the same just worded differently. Cautiously, the lieutenant entered the Major’s room. Freezing the instant she saw the woman’s sleeping form in bed, or so she hoped was asleep. </p>
<p>Why was she in here? This was so wrong and weird, she hadn’t been invited in. She just took a wild guess and now she was at the foot of Vale’s bed staring at her while she slept. Too petrified to do anything but breath and feel her heart beat out of control. What if Vale yelled at her for being in her room unannounced? What if she never wanted to talk to her again? </p>
<p>Alex dropped to her knees, before the edge of the bed. Her breathing turning into panicked hyperventilating, as a thousand horrible pessimistic scenarios played out in her head. The anxiety was killing her, she couldn’t think straight, tears started to well up in her eyes. </p>
<p>“You couldn’t sleep could you?” A quiet and gentle voice finally spoke. Interrupting all the negative imaginations that swirled in Alex’s mind. Strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her from the floor, carrying her bridal style to the side of the bed. Where they made sure to set Alex down gently, followed slowly, as to not startle her, by the body they were attached to. </p>
<p>Vale laid down next to the fearful sniper watching as the green eyes looked back and forth, on the look out for something that would do her harm. The Major wrapped her arms around the woman’s back and pulled her in for a close cuddle. Which seemed to calm down the sniveling and shaking, as metallic hands tentatively touched Vale’s body making sure this was real and not some sick nightmare. After deciding this wasn’t some demented dream, Alex gradually gathered herself to the best of her ability.  </p>
<p>“I-I’m s-sorry...” The sniper managed to stammer out. </p>
<p>“Shhhh. Shhhh, it’s okay darling you don’t need to apologize.” Vale delicately reassured her, rubbing soft loving circles into the lieutenant’s back while lacing calming kisses on top of the woman’s head. </p>
<p>“I just...” Alex tried to continue, only to be shushed quickly by Vale once again. Doing her best to distract the sniper from her fears and lull her into a sense of security. </p>
<p>“From now on you aren’t sleeping by yourself. You’re losing too much sleep, and I can’t stand to see you like this.” Vale whispered into a lovely mango scented head of hair. To which she received a slow double nod, as Alex nuzzled into Vale’s chest. </p>
<p>Vale was beyond worried, seeing her have multiple breakdowns, being late to patrol falling asleep on said patrol. Granted it wasn’t the first time, but those time were without the knowledge of what was going on. Now that Vale knew and now that she had feelings for the little sniper, the Major couldn’t help but worry.</p>
<p>Content with being held by the woman she loved, Alex slowly allowed herself to fall asleep. Still shaking from the residual fear but trusting in the protection that Vale offered from her deepest terrors. Not long after, Vale followed suit, arm wrapped securely around the smaller woman. The two slept sound that night one tucked into the other, safe from her burdens and pain. </p>
<p>~end~</p>
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